Several people could have accessed recordings between former security driver Paul Sheehan and the police control room that were eventually leaked to the Nationalist Party’s media, police commissioner Michael Cassar said.

“Unfortunately, it was incredibly easy to access the recordings and as such no one has been charged in front of a disciplinary board in relation to the leaks,” Cassar told Radju Malta presenter Andrew Azzopardi on Ghandi Xi Nghid.

Cassar said that he studied the problems that led to the leakage and that access to police recordings has now become less laissez-faire.

“I’ve changed the part of the building where the apparatus was kept, as well as how it’s opened and who opens it,” Cassar said. “People can now only enter the room in which the recording device is kept two at a time. I have also instructed all police officers on how they should request and handle recordings, as well as on their responsibilities for the recordings.

Terrorism and Forensics units in need of revamp

Cassar warned that the Anti-Terrorism Unit is desperately short of manpower and that officials in the Forensics Unit are in need of training. However, he has no plans to add more numbers to the Drugs Squad as having too many officers within the unit could encourage slacking.

He also said that he would like to set up a small group of police motorists within the traffic branch.

“Each motorist will be responsible for the traffic flow in a particular district,” Cassar said. “During the hours when traffic eases up, the motorists will then patrol these districts to prevent crime. However, human resources are limited.”

The human resources problem also means that a return for the Special Mobile Unit is unlikely in the near future.

“In an ideal world, the police force would have a specialized squad, but we have a serious problem regarding manpower and human resources. However, we are and will continue to provide training to the Rapid Intervention Unit squad and some of their squad will be specialized in certain sectors.”

‘Mobile police station interior just like a police station’

The police commissioner said that the interior of the mobile police station in Wied il-Ghajn truly resembles that of a police station.

“It has offices for sergeants and orderlies, a toilet, a sink, a drainage and water system, Internet, an air conditioner. It is a police station.”

The mobile police station, which Cassar described as an “eyesore” had been forced to move from its original location as it did not have a MEPA planning permit. Cassar said that its new location is not only covered by MEPA but is a prime spot for a mobile police station.

“It hit two birds with one stone,” he said. “It has been placed in a central location with parking space in front of it and it blends well with the surrounding environment,” he said.