The history of policing in Malta reflects the island’s wider political, social and administrative development. Long before the establishment of a modern police force, different authorities exercised responsibility for public order, law enforcement and local regulation. During the Arab period, an official known as the Sahib El-Xurta was responsible for law and order. Under Aragonese rule, public order formed part of the duties of the Captain of the Rod, while the militia also assisted in the defence of the islands. During the period of the Order of St John, responsibility for law and order was connected with the Captain of Justice and the Grand Visconte, while other authorities, including the Inquisition, exercised separate judicial powers.

By the eighteenth century, several public order functions existed across Malta’s towns and villages. Local officials, magistrates and other public officers dealt with criminal matters, public regulation and the maintenance of order. These early arrangements show that policing in Malta developed gradually, from a set of dispersed local responsibilities into a more organised public service.

A major turning point came in 1813, during the British period. Malta was facing serious public health and administrative challenges, particularly during the plague emergency. In May 1813, Civil Commissioner Hildebrand Oakes appointed Count Francesco Rivarola as Inspector General, with responsibility for controlling the plague and organising urban guards to keep order. On 18 August 1813, Rivarola issued sanitary regulations covering matters such as the transport of waste, the preparation of animals before consumption, quarantine and other public health measures.

The modern Malta Police Force traces its formal establishment to the period of Sir Thomas Maitland, the first British Governor of Malta. On 1 July 1814, Maitland issued a proclamation establishing the police as a recognised administrative body. The Force was divided into executive and judicial branches, with the Inspector General responsible to the Governor. Its early headquarters were at the Governor’s Palace in Valletta, before the administration later moved to the Klistanija, the former court and prison of the Order of St John.

During the nineteenth century, the duties of the Police extended well beyond crime prevention. Officers were involved in the regulation of street lighting, theatres, markets, transport, traffic, public health and village events. The Police also assisted with the delivery of letters and messages, the sale of postal stamps, the transmission of telegraph messages and the handling of urgent telephone communications. In 1884, responsibility for law and order in Maltese harbours passed to the Marine Police Corps, which later dealt with contraband, disputes between seamen and other maritime matters.

The early twentieth century brought further professionalisation. The Police began registering cars and issuing licences to drivers, while also recording road accidents. In 1917, the Criminal Investigation Branch was established, marking an important step in the development of specialist investigative policing. In 1919, under Commissioner Henry W. Bamford, the headquarters moved to the former Sacra Infermeria in Valletta, which became known as the Police Headquarters or Police Depot. Bamford also placed emphasis on education and training, requiring police personnel to attain basic educational standards and attend classes.

The Force continued to expand its functions during the interwar and wartime periods. It used motorbikes for road traffic management, supervised public activities such as the National Lotto, and maintained order during major public events. During the Second World War, police officers played a critical role in rescue work, patrols, protection of damaged buildings and public order during air raids. As a result of bombing in the Grand Harbour area, the Police Headquarters was temporarily moved to the Marquis Vincenzo Bugeja Institute.

In the post-war period, the Force continued to modernise. Women joined the Police as constables in 1956. The Dogs Section was established in 1959. The Flying Squad developed in the late 1960s to combat serious crime more effectively. The Malta Police joined INTERPOL in 1972, strengthening its international policing links. Specialist units dealing with drugs, security and vice were also established during this period. The Police Academy opened at Fort St Elmo in 1988 and later moved to Ta’ Kandja, where police training and professional development continued to evolve.

Across more than two centuries, the Malta Police Force has developed from an early colonial public order body into a modern law enforcement organisation. Its history includes public health enforcement, traffic control, maritime policing, criminal investigation, communications, training, international cooperation and specialist policing. This development reflects the Force’s continuing role in maintaining public order, enforcing the law and serving the community.