Minister for Home Affairs and Security Glenn Bedingfield has said that the serious shooting in which a police officer was critically injured while carrying out his duties should serve as a reminder that respect for the law and public safety must remain a national priority.
Speaking at a seminar organised by the Maltese Arms Collectors Association (AMACS) to mark the 20th anniversary of the Firearms Act, the Minister opened his address by referring to the incident that left one police officer fighting for his life in hospital.
“Yesterday we had colleagues who went to work like any other day. They went to do their duty and protect society. One of them ended up in hospital, fighting for his life,” the Minister said. He also described visiting the injured officer in hospital, where he met his family. “I felt small in front of relatives who still do not know what will happen to their son, husband and brother. I could hardly say a word because, in the face of such sorrow, words make very little sense,” he said.
The Minister said he also witnessed the emotional impact on members of the Police Corps, describing officers with “eyes filled with tears” alongside doctors working tirelessly to save the officer’s life. He questioned why someone who left home simply to do their job should end up fighting for survival because “someone irresponsible decided to take the law into their own hands. We cannot accept this. Not today, not tomorrow, never.”
Referring to firearms legislation, Minister Bedingfield said “the time of the cowboys is over” and stressed that society cannot tolerate individuals placing the lives of others at risk. He said the 20th anniversary of the Firearms Act provides an opportunity to reflect on the responsibilities that come with owning a firearm and the need to strike the right balance between lawful ownership and the State’s duty to protect lives.
The Minister also recognised the work of responsible firearms collectors and sport shooters, praising AMACS for promoting education, responsibility and respect for the law. He stressed that legal firearm ownership should never be viewed as a symbol of status, but rather as a privilege requiring maturity, discipline and responsibility, while calling for continued training and cooperation between firearm owners, their associations and the authorities.
Minister Bedingfield said that behind every police uniform is “a son, a husband, a brother and a family waiting at home,” adding that no family should have to endure such suffering. He said Malta must remain a country where the rule of law prevails, life is respected, and no one believes they have the right to take the law into their own hands.
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