Chapter 389
Fil-qosor
Din il-liġi tirregola l-għoti ta' liċenzji, ir-regolamentazzjoni u l-kontroll ta' persuni li joperaw jew huma impjegati f'servizzi ta' gwardji privati u uffiċjali tal-komunità. L-għan tagħha huwa li tiżgura li dawn is-servizzi jingħataw b'mod xieraq u skont il-liġi.
X'tirregola
- Il-liċenzjar ta' aġenziji ta' gwardji privati u gwardji privati.
- Il-liċenzjar ta' aġenziji ta' uffiċjali tal-komunità u uffiċjali tal-komunità.
- Ir-rekwiżiti għall-applikazzjonijiet għal liċenzji.
- Il-proċess ta' oġġezzjoni għall-applikazzjonijiet għal liċenzji.
- Ir-raġunijiet għar-rifjut ta' liċenzja.
Min jaffettwa
- Individwi u korpi ta' persuni li jipprovdu servizzi ta' gwardji privati jew servizzi ta' uffiċjali tal-komunità.
- Individwi impjegati bħala gwardji privati jew uffiċjali tal-komunità.
- Kunsilli lokali li jeħtieġu servizzi ta' uffiċjali tal-komunità.
Punti ewlenin
- Ħadd ma jista' jopera bħala aġenzija ta' gwardji privati jew jaġixxi bħala gwardjan privat mingħajr liċenzja.
- Ħadd ma jista' jimpjega jew jippermetti l-użu ta' servizzi ta' gwardji privati sakemm dawn ma jkunux ipprovduti minn aġenzija jew gwardji liċenzjati.
- L-applikazzjonijiet għal liċenzji jiġu ppubblikati fil-Gazzetta, u kwalunkwe persuna tista' toġġezzjona bil-miktub fi żmien xahar.
- Il-Kummissarju għandu jirrifjuta applikazzjoni jekk l-applikant ikun instab ħati ta' ċerti reati, ikun fallut, jew jekk ikun fl-interess pubbliku li tiġi rrifjutata.
Legal text
PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS CHAPTER 389 PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS ACT To provide for the licensing, regulation and control of persons operating, engaged or employed in private guard services and in community officers’ services and to provide for matters connected therewith or ancillary thereto. (15th June, 1996) (27th August, 1996) ACT XIII of 1996, as amended by Acts III of 2002 and XIII of 2005; Legal Notice 425 of 2007; Act XXII of 2010; Legal Notices 325 and 491 of 2011; Act XXVII of 2011 ; and Legal Notice 426 of 2012 and 190 of 2022 and Act XIV of 2018 and XXI of 2020. 1. The short title of this Act is the Private Guards and Community Officers Act. Short title. Amended by: XIV.2018.2. PART I Preliminary 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires - "Administrative Review Tribunal" means the tribunal established under article 5 of the Administrative Justice Act; "bye-laws" means any bye-laws and any other legislation which may from time to time be entrusted to local councils by delegation or agreement as stipulated in the Local Government Act; "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Police; "community officer" means an individual whose services are rendered in the provision of community officers’ services; "community officers agency" means an individual or a body of persons whether corporate or unincorporate, who provide community officers’ services; "community officers’ services" means such services as may be required by local councils in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities for the control, regulation and enforcement of byelaws, including the provision of services for the control and regulation of access and movement by pedestrians or vehicles, generally or on particular occasions and the provision of similar services whether by uniformed or plain clothes community officers; "Minister" means the Minister responsible for the Police; "plain clothes community officer" means a community officer without uniform whose services are rendered in the provision of specific duties or parts of legislation, which are listed in the Schedule. "private guard" means an individual employed or engaged by a private guard agency in the provision of private guard services Interpretation. Amended by: XIII. 2005.37; XXII. 2010.2; XIV.2018.3. PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS including such services at a place of entertainment and specialised private guards services; "private guard agency" means any individual or body of persons, whether corporate or unincorporate, providing any private guard services or specialised private guard services and includes any such individual or body employing or engaging private guards; "private guard services" means any guard service, other than guard services provided by any government department or authority under the provisions of any law other than this Act, provided either by an individual or by a body of persons, whether corporate or unincorporate, in relation to (
- a)the prevention or detection of intrusion, unauthorised entry or activity, vandalism or trespass on private property; (
- b)the prevention or detection of fraud or theft, loss, misappropriation or concealment of merchandise, money, bonds, stocks, notes or other documents or papers; (
- c)the control, regulation or direction of the movement of the public in private or restricted areas, whether by the use of a vehicle or otherwise, to assure the protection of property; (
- d)the protection of individuals from bodily harm; (
- e)the protection of property; (
- f)the provision of persons for the purpose of guarding money or any other property in transit or for the transportation of such money or other property; (
- g)the provision of armoured cars for the transportation of such money or other property; (
- h)the provision, installation and servicing of safes, alarms, and other security equipment or ancillary items as the Minister may prescribe; (
- i)private investigative services; (
- j)the provision of security consultancy services; (
- k)the operation of premises offering safe deposit facilities other than such operation by banks; (
- l)any other service which the Minister may from time to time by order prescribe; but shall not include any such services provided to any person, other than a private guard agency or a local council, by his employee whether full-time, part-time or casual; "private investigative services" means obtaining, selling or supplying to any person any information relating to (
- a)the identity, conduct, movements, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, reputation or character of any person or a body of persons; (
- b)the background or antecedents of any applicant for PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS employment; (
- c)enquiries for missing persons or property; (
- d)damage to or loss of property; (
- e)the prevention or detection of industrial espionage; "security consultancy services" means the provision of advice relating to the security of property, premises, personnel, plant, machinery and equipment; "specialised private guard" means a private guard rendering specialised private guard services; "specialised private guard services" means private guard services in relation to the transportation or guarding in transit of money or property, or in relation to premises where money or property of value is stored, or in relation to other premises otherwise exposed to high security risks; PART II Private Guard Services 3. No person shall operate as a private guard agency or act as a private guard or offer his services as such, unless such person is licensed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Private guard agencies and guards to be licensed. 4. No person shall employ, engage or permit the use of private guard services unless such services are provided by a private guard agency or by private guards, as the case may be, licensed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Use of private guard services. 5. No private guard agency shall provide any person for duties in, or connected with, private guard services unless such person is licensed as a private guard in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Employment of private guards. 6.
- a)the full name and business address, and in the case of an individual a legally valid identification document number and in the case of a commercial partnership, the registered number and office of the partnership; (
- b)the name under which the applicant intends to carry on his activities; (
- c)the nature of the activities which the applicant intends to carry on; (
- d)in the case of a body of persons the names and addresses and legally valid identification document numbers of the shareholders, partners, directors, secretaries and any other officers of the body and PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS where any of such persons is a partnership the registered number and office of the partnership and the number of persons they propose to employ; (
- e)a declaration by the applicant stating that he has no financial or other interest which could in any way conflict with the services to be provided by the private guard agency; such other interest shall include any other business or economic activity carried out or being carried out, or services provided or being provided, or employment held or being held, by the applicant; (
- f)if an applicant was previously carrying on any business activity, the financial statements for the last three years, and if under any other law such financial statements are required to be audited, the audited financial statements; (
- g)experience relevant to private guard services held by any person mentioned in paragraphs (
- a)and (
- d)above.
- a)the full name, address and a legally valid identification document number; (
- b)the date and place of birth; (
- c)full details of the applicant’s working experience; (
- d)a declaration by the applicant stating that he has no financial or other interest which could in any way conflict with the services to be provided as a private guard; (
- e)academic, training and other qualifications held to act as a private guard.
- a)either issue a licence to the applicant to act as a private guard agency or as a private guard; or (
- b)refuse the application. 10. The Commissioner shall refuse an application in any of the following circumstances: (
- a)where the applicant or any officer of the applicant or any person who has an effective control of the services to be provided by the applicant (
- i)has been convicted in Malta or elsewhere of any crime of wilful homicide or of wilful grievous bodily harm or any crime against property aggravated by amount exceeding two thousand and three hundred and twenty-nine euro and thirty-seven cents (2,329.37) or by violence or any crime against public trust or any other serious crime; or (
- ii)has been declared bankrupt or his financial position is precarious or otherwise renders the applicant unsuitable; or (iii) has been discharged from the Police or armed forces or the prison services because of any offence or other misbehaviour; or (
- iv)is a public officer other than one who belongs to a grade or category as may be prescribed by the Minister or a member of the Police or armed Refusal to issue licence. Amended by: III. 2002.167; L.N. 425 of 2007; XXII. 2010.4. PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS forces or the prison services; or (
- v)has been convicted in Malta or elsewhere of a crime against the person or against property and the application is made within five years from the commission of the crime; or (
- vi)has been convicted in Malta or elsewhere of a crime affecting the good order of families; (
- b)when he considers that it is in the public interest to refuse such a licence; or (
- c)where the applicant does not possess the necessary qualifications as may be prescribed by or under this Act. Application to the Administrative Review Tribunal. Amended by: XXII. 2010.5; L.N. 325 of 2011; XXI of 2020. 11.
- a)shall be valid for a period of one year from its date of issue; (
- b)may be limited to any of the private guard services; (
- c)shall be subject to the specific condition that the holder of the licence shall inform the Commissioner of any change in the information submitted in relation to the relevant application; (
- d)shall be subject to such other terms and conditions as the Commissioner may deem fit to attach to such licence.
- Community Officers Services Community officers’ agencies and community officers to be licensed. Substituted by: XIV.2018.
- No person shall act as a community officers’ agency or as a community officer or offer his services as such unless such person is licensed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Use of community officers’ services. Substituted by: XIV.2018.
- No person shall employ, engage or permit the use of community officers’ services unless such services are provided by a community officers’ agency or by a community officer, as the case may be, licensed in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Employment of community officers. Substituted by: XIV.2018.
- No community officers’ agency shall provide any person for duties in, or connected with, community officers’ services unless such person is licensed as a community officer in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Application of articles 6 to 13 to community officers’ agencies and community officers. Amended by: XXVII. 2011.2; XIV. 2018.
- 17.
- c)and (
- d)and 13 shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to a licence for a community officers’ agency or for a community officer in the same way as they apply to an application for a licence for a private guard agency or for a private guard, as the case may require.
- a)(
- b)(
- c)(
- d)(
- e)is a member of the House of Representatives; or is a member or an official of a Local Council, or is a Judge or a Magistrate; or is legally incapacitated; or has been declared bankrupt or has made a composition or arrangement with his creditors; or (
- f)has been convicted of a crime affecting public trust or theft or fraud or of knowingly receiving property obtained by theft or fraud; or (
- g)has a financial or other interest in any enterprise or activity which is likely to affect the discharge of his functions as a member of the Board.
- a)to expeditiously inquire into and report on any matter regarding the misconduct or abuse of power of community officers; (
- b)to inquire and report on any complaint made to it in writing by a community officer against treatment which the community officer deems prejudicial or discriminatory: Provided that the Minister may from time to time add to or revise the functions of the Board by means of regulations. 18.
- a)fees payable under this Act or for any services under or pursuant to this Act, and different fees may be so prescribed for different services or for different licences under this Act; (
- b)the forms to be used for any of the purposes under this Act; (
- c)the academic, training and other qualifications that may be necessary for the granting or holding of a licence under this Act; (
- d)for the approval of courses to provide academic, training and other qualifications necessary for the granting of a licence under this Act; (
- e)standards and conditions to be met for the provision of services under this Act, and for the reporting of measures adopted in order to comply with such standards and conditions; (
- f)anything that may or is to be prescribed under this Act: Provided that in the case of regulations made in relation to community officers, community officers’ services or community officers’ agencies, such regulations shall be made with the concurrence of the Minister responsible for local government. Offences and penalties. Amended by: L.N. 425 of 2007; XXII. 2010.10; XIV. 2018.16. 25. PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS Any person (
- a)who operates a private guard agency or a community officers’ agency in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or of any licence issued thereunder or acts in breach of the provisions of article 23, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction, to a fine (multa) not exceeding twentythree thousand and two hundred and ninety-three euro and seventy-three cents (23,293.73) and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or to both such fine and imprisonment; (
- b)who acts or is employed as a private guard, a specialised private guard or a private guard at a place of entertainment or as a community officer in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or of any licence issued thereunder shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine (multa) not exceeding four thousand and six hundred and fifty-eight euro and seventy-five cents (4,658.75) and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment; (
- c)who employs, engages or permits the use of private guard services, specialised private guard services, the services of private guards at a place of entertainment or of community officers’ services in contravention of article 4 or article 15 or otherwise is in breach of any provision of this Act other than those to which paragraphs (
- a)and (
- b)hereof apply shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine (multa) not exceeding one thousand and two hundred euro (1,200); (
- d)who, being a private guard at a place of entertainment or a specialised private guard, exercises excessive use of force or in any other way abuses of the powers conferred upon him under this Act, shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine (multa) not exceeding two thousand euro (2,000) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment. PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS SCHEDULE (Article 19A) Added by: XIII. 2005.39. Substituted by: L.N. 491 of 2011. Amended by: XIV. 2018.17. Substituted by: L.N. 190 of 2022. Laws or Regulations which may be enforced by Plain Clothes Community Officers Legislation Chapter or Subsidiary Legislation number Particular provisions, if any Traffic Regulation Ordinance Traffic Signs and Carriageway Markings Regulations S.L. 65.05 Articles 3, 30, 34
- Motor Tractors Regulations S.L. 65.08 Regulation
- Motor Vehicles Regulations S.L. 65.11 Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations S.L. 65.12 Regulations 59, 61, 67 to 90, 92 to 103, 105 to 110A, 114 to 118, 123 to 127, 130 and
- Clamping and Removal of Motor Vehicles and Encumbering Objects Regulations S.L. 65.13 Regulation
- Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations S.L. 65.18 Regulations 3, 4, 27, 56, 57, 58, 69,
- Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Goods by Road) Regulations S.L. 65.19 Regulations 5, 68, 69,
- Low-Powered Vehicles and Pedal Cycles Regulations S.L. 65.26 Regulations 4
- PRIVATE GUARDS AND COMMUNITY OFFICERS Mdina (Restriction of Access and Transit of Vehicles) Regulations Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third- Party Risks) Ordinance Litter Act Control of Dogs Regulations Tobacco (Smoking Control) Act Smoking in Public Places Regulations Smoking Control in Private Vehicles Regulations Controlled Parking Schemes (Residents and Commercial) Regulations Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicles Regulations S.L. 65.27 Regulation
- Article 8
- S.L. 499.54 Regulation
- Abandonment, Dumping and Disposal of Waste in Streets and Public Places or Areas Regulations Environmental Management Construction Site Regulations S.L. 549.40 Article
- S.L. 315.04 S.L. 315.11 S.L. 363.80 S.L. 368.02 Regulations 8, 13