Police Officer Simon Schembri’s Life Could Have Been Saved Thanks To Special Uniform He Paid For Himself
Traffic policeman Simon Schembri’s fate in the recent Luqa hit-and-run incident could have been so much worse had he not been wearing a special helmet and uniform which he paid for himself.
Schembri suffered extensive injuries when he was mowed down by 17-year-old Liam Debono this month, including permanent damage to his right arm,severe friction burns on his upper chest and damage to his ribcage.
Yet it has now emerged in court that his condition could well have been worse had he not been wearing a superior helmet and uniform, which he had paid for out of his own pocket. His attention to detail may have been due to his being an experienced biker whose wife owns a popular bikers’ shop in Paola.
“The uniforms of traffic policemen must conform to a set of safety requirements, but policemen have the option of upgrading their outfits further at their own expense,” Inspector Pierguido Saliba confirmed. “Simon Schembri had upgraded his helmet from a one-star rating to a three-star rating and even his uniform was better than that of his colleagues.”
Police Officers’ Union president Sandro Camilleri said that safety conditions for traffic policemen improved since five years ago, when they weren’t given any protection clothing at all.
However, he argued there is still room for improvement – including upgrades of police outfits at all levels.
“We are pressuring the government to improve clothing for police officers at all levels, not only in the Traffic Section,” he told Lovin Malta. “This includes summer-specific safety clothing, gender neutral and user-friendly outfits, and bodycams on uniforms.”
Should the government improve the protective clothing of police officers?
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