Online crime is growing rapidly and becoming more sophisticated, prompting the Malta Police Force to provide its community officers with specialised training by the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society to better equip them in identifying emerging risks.

Police data shows that in the 20-year span between 2004 and 2024, ‘indoor’ crime shot up to 36 per cent of all crimes from just four per cent, making this training all the more essential to foster a safer digital environment for the community and children.

Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society chair Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca praised the Police Force for being forward-looking and providing crucial training to its officers.

“Education should be our first line of defence. If we are serious about creating a safer digital world, we must shift our focus from reactive measures to proactive prevention, grounded in collaboration to bring down the silos and build a safer digital world,” Ms Coleiro Preca said.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Police Force and the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society was signed today to strengthen this collaboration and follows on the successful training already provided to 26 officers from the Cyber Crime Unit.

The Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society is accredited by the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority to deliver this training, which forms part of its Promote Online Protection Project — P.O.P-Up.

In 2023, the Foundation commissioned a survey — the first of its kind — which showed that almost a third of all students aged seven to 15 years received rude or inappropriate messages over their devices, while 15 per cent of children experienced some form of online abuse.

Since the launch of P.O.P-Up, the Foundation has been working tirelessly with all stakeholders, including the police force, to keep pace with the evolving tactics of online predators and address the digital epidemic of child exploitation.

During today’s signing, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà said this partnership between the Malta Police Force and the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society represented a significant step forward in the collective efforts to protect children from online abuse.

“Through the P.O.P-Up project we’re equipping our officers with vital training, raising awareness in the community, and providing essential resources to safeguard children in the digital space. This collaboration underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring a safer online environment for the most vulnerable members of our society,” Mr Gafà said.

This training will equip officers with the latest strategies and tools for identifying risks, and engaging with the community effectively, ensuring officers are better prepared to make a more proactive and informed approach in their daily interactions within the community, including in their outreach with schoolchildren.

“This MOU will further strengthen our policing approach in the digital environment through which we can contribute towards a safer digital world for our children where police visibility and proactive approaches are far more challenging than the physical environment,” Mr Gafà added.