The Environmental Protection Unit, known as the EPU, was set-up in the early 1990s to support the operations of district police officers in their fight against environmental crime.
During that period, massive changes were taking place in environmental legislation and the administrators thought it adequate to organize a section within the Force to enforce modern laws.
During the years, the EPU has been primarily involved in enforcing hunting and trapping regulations, be it the Spring Hunting Derogation, the Autumn Trapping Derogation and the Autumn Hunting Season. EPU is also involved in enforcing animal welfare laws with officers being deployed in assisting the Veterinary Services and Health Divisions to curb abuses in the respective fields. Off-roading is another task which falls under the remit of the EPU in order to prevent damage to protected Natura 2000 sites and garrigue landscapes.
EPU personnel are also deployed in direct action operations organized by the Planning Authority, Environment and Resources Authority and Lands Department after individuals fail to comply with issued enforcement notices.
The EPU is also involved in cases from the Fisheries Department, the Agriculture Department, the Cleansing Department and the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA). Prosecutions of illegalities related to the VAT Department are also in the remit of the EPU Section.
The Section is also synonymous but not exclusively with the enforcement of maritime regulations in the inner coastal areas. This has been one of the EPU.’s major tasks since these last twenty years. Many efforts have been made to equip the marine section of the EPU with powerful boats which can operate throughout the year, weather permitting.
Besides the duties mentioned above, EPU officers are deployed in general protective service duties including crowd control and VIP escorts.