Violence against police officers was discussed at a meeting of the European Confederation of Police, the EuroCOP, which was held in Malta. The meeting focused both on the alarming increase of physical, verbal and virtual attacks against the police, as well as the need to start collecting statistics on acts of violence against the police in Europe so that programs of training for the police will be trimmed further.
In a speech he made, the Minister for the Interior, Security and Work Byron Camilleri said that in the last five years in Malta acts of violence against police officers have remained stable with an average of 116 cases of police violence each year. However, the cases of threats and abuse against the police have increased tenfold.
“The introduction of bodycams three years ago gave more means of protection to the police with the videos taken from this equipment being very useful in proceedings in the courts. This has led to this tool being beneficial both for the police and also for the public,” said Minister Camilleri.
EuroCOP is an organization that brings together thirty unions of police bodies from various European countries and represents the interests of more than a quarter of a million police officers from twenty-five European countries.
Photos: MHSE
