Veil falls on guidelines for police strip searches

Police publish internal document after The Sunday Times makes a request under the Freedom of Information Act to gain access Police have disclosed sensitive guidelines regulating strip searches after The Sunday Times made a request under the Freedom of Information Act, which came into force last month. It was the first request made to the police by any media organisation since the new law became fully functional. The subject was at the centre of controversy last year when two Sliema councillors were strip-searched at police headquarters just before being questioned over the alleged theft of a laptop hard disk. Top criminal lawyers had said the incident, involving councillors Martin Debono and Yves Cali, was an abuse of power and the police repeatedly refused to publish the internal guidelines on strip searches that were drawn up 10 years ago. Mr Debono had said the “procedure went too far” and was humiliating. Police sources at the time had said it was standard procedure for anyone held in custody to be searched, although it was not standard for someone to be asked to strip naked. However, they added that the custodial officer would want to check whether the individual had any...