PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, SECURITY AND EMPLOYMENT Police Support Response Team established

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• 24/7 assistance for families of victims of serious crimes

Families of victims of serious crimes are now being informed and provided with all the necessary assistance by a dedicated team established within the Malta Police Force, the Police Support Response Team, working together with the Victim Support Agency. The agency was established five years ago by this Government to increase the focus on victims, alongside the attention given to offenders to support their rehabilitation.​​

The Support Response Team (SRT) provides on-site assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to families going through tragic situations during moments of shock and vulnerability. The team acts as a point of contact and communication between investigative officers and affected families, while offering emotional, practical and informational support.

Officers forming part of the Support Response Team have received specialised training on the concept and operation of such teams, delivered by a police officer from the United Kingdom with direct experience in victim support services. This training ensures that the operation of the SRT in Malta is based on international best practices while being adapted to local realities and needs.

Their role includes building relationships of trust with affected families, sharing information and offering support, including accompanying family members where and when required, even during court proceedings. They also provide guidance on support services, including referrals, with the consent of the individuals involved.

This team does not perform an investigative role but works in full coordination with the officers responsible for investigations and with the Victim Support Agency (VSA), ensuring that the needs of families are addressed with dignity and respect.

SRT officers are deployed in cases such as fatal traffic accidents, homicides, disasters, suicides and other critical incidents where their presence can enhance the police response.

Since June 2025, the Support Response Team has assisted 310 individuals, while 46 people were referred to additional support services.

Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment Byron Camilleri stated that this service demonstrates how the Malta Police Force has evolved in recent years and how it has changed for the better. He noted that the vision outlined in the transformation strategy to provide new direction to the Police Force has been implemented and that work is continuing to build upon it.

"The community is at the centre. And the community is made up of people. That is why we believe in a service that revolves around people's needs. Prevention comes first, but we are also there during difficult moments. Difficult moments will always exist. Every time we announced a new service, introduced new resources or tools, or carried out reforms, we emphasised that no matter how many positive changes we make, there will still be unwanted incidents. There will still be unfortunate incidents or reprehensible acts which, although they do not represent our society, still affect it deeply. Today we are speaking about a service designed to offer better support to victims in these circumstances, from the very first moments when the police are called," stated Minister Camilleri.

"This specialised service was also possible because, in recent years, as a Government, we emphasised, insisted and reiterated that the Police must serve their core duties. Only in this way were we able to expand specialised services where people are at the centre of the changes we are making. And we will continue to improve the service given. This is how we strengthen trust in the Police Force and, above all, how we better fulfil our shared mission to serve the citizen," concluded Mister Byron Camilleri.

Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà stated that, "For many years, the Malta Police Force focused primarily on criminal suspects. In recent years, we have placed victims more at the centre of our operations. We started with the Victim Support Unit within the Police Force, which today forms part of the Victim Support Agency, and we have now launched the Police Support Response Team, which offers on-site assistance to families during incidents or difficult situations."

Superintendent Sylvana Gafà, who leads this team, explained that, "This specialised service is being provided by specially trained officers, both to deliver difficult news in tragic situations and to support these families. The SRT officer who attends the scene remains the same officer who maintains contact after the incident. Beyond providing information, following the initial notification there are a number of procedures and processes that families must go through, such as court accompaniment and referrals for ongoing support. For this reason, the officer maintains contact after the case, according to the needs and circumstances of the individuals involved."

Officers forming part of this team expressed their satisfaction in carrying out this work and explained how the families of victims become, in a way, part of their own family. They described their work as a vocation that makes a difference in people's lives during their most vulnerable moments.

This initiative forms part of the Police Corporate Strategy (2025-2030): Safer Communities, Smarter Policing, which places the protection of vulnerable persons, the strengthening of public trust, and a community-focused service as key pillars of policing.

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