Watch: Angelo Gafà Praises Officers Who Reported Colleagues For Migrant Attacks: ‘Blue Wall Of Silence Being Broken Down’
Police commissioner Angelo Gafà has praised the police officers who reported their colleagues for allegedly beating up and abducting migrants, stating that the “blue wall of silence” is being broken down.
“This case doesn’t represent the police but let’s also look at how the police force acted with regards these allegations,” Gafà said in an interview with Andrew Azzopardi on Malta’s Heart this morning.
“The moment we received these reports, we brought in some of the most experienced CID officers to investigate as a clear internal message that these things won’t be tolerated and will be treated seriously.”
“These allegations sadden my heart but there are positive signs too, and it fills me with hope and courage that police officers had reported their colleague for this alleged abuse.”
“It means that the police culture renewal, which we have been working on in recent years, is bearing fruit. We must see an evolution from a blue wall of silence to a blue wall of integrity.”
Gafà said the police took several steps to break down the “blue wall of silence”, a code to denote omertà within the police force, in recent years, such as revising the Code of Ethics, hiring an integrity officer, setting up a gifts and gratuities register, allowing officers to file anonymous reports against their colleagues and introducing body cams.
“There was some resistance to body cams at the start but now police can understand that these cameras can also safeguard them against false allegations and violence,” the police commissioner said, noting that there was a 35% decline in violence against police officers last year.
Rica Mifsud Grech, Luca Brincat and Jurgen Falzon have been charged with kidnapping, abuse of authority, illegal arrest and holding a person against their will over the case.
Previous testimonies have revealed how Brincat and Falzon would allegedly pick up migrants in Ħamrun, before taking them to remote areas, beating them and abandoning them there.
One man was beaten unconscious while another was pelted with rocks.
In certain cases involving Mifsud Grech, they even tasered and punch migrants who were sleeping on the streets. The tasers were not police property.
The three officers, who have since been suspended, are pleading not guilty and have been granted bail.
Cover photo: Main photo: Police commissioner Angelo Gafà, Inset photos: Rica Mifsud Grech, Luca Brincat and Jurgen Falzon
Should the police officers who reported their colleagues receive some kind of honour?
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