Attentions have started to turn to the Police Assistant Commissioners of districts around Malta after the district office which houses Valletta was allegedly placed under investigation for an extra-day duty racket.

The Assistant Commissioner who oversees the 1st District (Valletta, Floriana, a part of Marsa and the Water Police) and other areas like Paola, Qormi and any locality in between is Stephen Mallia.

Mallia was promoted to the role in 2017, along with other District Assistant Commissioners Alessandra Mamo (Sliema and St Julian’s) and Alexander Gatt (Zejtun, Cottonera, and Zabbar).

AC Martin Sammut, who oversees anything north of Hamrun and sister island Gozo, was appointed in February 2014.

The Malta Independent reported earlier that police officers in the 1st District are being investigated over their involvement with the abuse of the extra duty work system.

With non-stop cultural events and other duties like protection at banks and embassies, VIP escort, and traffic control, the officers were reportedly given ample opportunity to abuse the system.

However, with the abuse threatening to affect other sections of the police force, sources were quick to soften the blame placed on individual officers implicated, insisting it was the higher-ups in the department who should be most worried.

While admitting what officers did was wrong and should in no way exonerate them of their behaviour, sources pointed the finger at a culture of impunity within the departments.

“Imagine going into work, and all your bosses are mucking about. Their salaries aren’t high, and you think you can get away with it. What would you do?” sources said.

The investigation comes after the arrest of 41 members of the traffic section in connection with a similar racket.

The scheme saw traffic officers make away with tens of thousands of euros by reporting for overtime for work they would not turn up for. There are also claims officers would collect ‘protection money’ from construction firms and misappropriate fuel.

So far four officers have resigned from their roles, including the traffic section’s superintendent Walter Spiteri.

Meanwhile, questions over the role of Assistant Commissioner Anthony Cassar and his predecessor Mario Tonna remain.