Gibraltar Police Federation

Today we said goodbye to one of our most popular sergeants, Kevin Fortuna. He's retiring after 28 years service for a change of scenery to take up his new post as......

.....a Custody Officer in New Mole House.

"Hello 🙂
My name is Kamil Kowalczyk, I am 28 years old and I come from Poland. I serve in the Polish Police on a daily basis and I collect police emblems as a hobby. I am writing to you with a question: do you have an emblem of your Police unit that you could give me? Of course, as far as possible. I greet you very warmly and I am waiting for your answer. Yours faithfully, Polish Policeman Kamil Kowalczyk 🙂👮🚔"

Any of you good folks able to assist Kamil with his request?

Yesterday, Maurice Morello Chairman of the Gibraltar Police Federation retired after serving over 24 years and four as the Chairman of the Federation.

Maurice joined the RGP in 1999 where after serving for five years on Blue Shift, was attached to the Criminal Investigation Department where he spent the following two years as a Detective.

He was later attached to Special Branch, where he performed close protection duties and as a Detective in the department.

In 2012, Maurice was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and transferred to the Neighborhood Policing Unit.

In the later years of his career he was transferred to several response teams where he performed the roles of Custody Sergeant, Patrolling Sergeant and the Crown Sergeant.

In 2016, Maurice applied for the Sergeant representative in the GPF and was successful.

In 2019 he was elected as Chairman of the Police Federation.

On speaking to Maurice he thanked everyone for the support both him and the Federation and received over the years.

He said “I would like to congratulate the newly elected Board and wish them all the best in their tenure”

We wish Maurice a happy retirement!

👏👍🇬🇮👮

RGP Officers at King’s Coronation

Two Royal Gibraltar Police Officers are in Central London today to help police the King’s Coronation.
Dressed in their traditional tunics, PCs Mike Heap and Nathan Bamber-Gates will be based at Parliament Square from 9am to 3pm.
The pair will join 29,000 police officers on the streets of the capital.
Mike, who has served in the RGP for seven years, said: “We are immensely proud to be representing the RGP and Gibraltar today.”

👑 Today is a historic moment where we celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.

We wish His Majesty a long, peaceful and prosperous reign. 👑

As servants of the Crown our police officers who have traveled to the UK to join others in this historic and momentous occasion, are honoured to play a role in the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. 💙

We thank all the dedicated police officers working at the Coronation today, enabling the public to enjoy this momentous historic occasion safely.

We appreciate everything you do. 💙

DC Jason OTON joined the Royal Gibraltar Police in 2000 where after serving in a Response Team was transferred to Crime & Protective Services Division to serve within the High-Tech Crime Unit (HTCU).

During his deployment to the HTCU, DC OTON has undertaken extensive specialist training and amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of computer forensics, becoming a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE).

His forensic work on computers and other device types has seen him support the entirety of RGP specialist investigations (inc Child Po*******hy, Economic Crime and other complex enquiries) as well those involving other local agencies and international law enforcement counterparts.

His performance and expertise has been recognised at an international level, with DC Oton invited in 2015 by the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialists (IACIS) to teach at a Basic Computer Forensic Examiner’s Course in Florida, USA. His work with IACIS also sees him act as an IACIS “Peer-Review” coach for students undertaking the “certification” process that follows their basic forensic examiner course.

In April 2016, DC OTON was commended by the US Department of Homeland Security after one of his meticulous forensic examinations during a Gibraltar investigation identified a US-based Skype user suspected of exchanging Child Exploitation material. This individual had subsequently been arrested and convicted to serve a 90 years prison sentence in the USA regarding the production of child exploitation material with at least four minors and the possession of hundreds of videos depicting child sexual exploitation.

After 23 years of service, the time has come for him to retire and from all our members at the GPF we wish Jason a happy retirement.

Today is an important day in the yearly calendar.

We celebrate International Workers Day, a day where we pause and reflect on the rights of workers.

And Police officers are no different to any category of worker, albeit discrimated by the Employment Act where certain sections are not applicable to Police officers.

From the first day we were elected we have attempted to overcome the biggest hurdle Police officers face which is the right to take certain matters before the Employment Tribunal and hold individuals accountable for their actions.

Progress has been slow but this will not deter us from achieving our goals.

A special mention for our colleagues from Dignity at Work Now who work tirelessly to achieve exactly that… Dignity at Work for all.

Any violence directed at police officers is unacceptable.

Sadly, again, only months after an extremely lenient sentence was handed down in Court after an assault on an officer, we have had a further two officers being assaulted.

This coming Tuesday, two individuals will appear at the Magistrates Court facing charges of assault on police amongst other charges.

The judicial system should take a harsh view on any assault or violence against police officers or any other emergency worker for that matter.

Violence against our officers is sadly creeping into our society, as is happening in every other country in the world.

Police Officers have a difficult enough job simply with the roles and responsibilities that come with the office of Constable.

Some people underestimate and take for granted the crucial role police officers play in our society.

Officers are not punchbags. It is not acceptable to assault a police officer and this should
not be normalised.

Any violence directed against a police officer, is certainly not part and parcel of the job.

Violence against Police officers was one of the topics discussed at the recent Conference held in Belfast last week, an issue which is affecting many of the European Police forces.

A massive thanks to the officers of the Gibraltar Defence Police who supported us in the night.

A big congratulations to all and welcome to the policing family. Wishing you all the best on your new career.

Throughout your career you will face challenging situations. Be assured the Federation will always have your back and will be there to support you.

Unfortunately this year we were not extended an invitation to attend.

On Workers Memorial Day, we visited the Police Service Northern Ireland Memorial Gardens, together with our EuroCOP family, where a wreath in honour of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice was laid.

The Gibraltar Police Federation is extremely disappointed with the judgment handed down yesterday [19/04/2023] in the Supreme Court by the Chief Justice in relation to the deaths at sea in March 2020.

We strongly believe the judgment does not adequately do justice to the officers concerned and the reality of the situation which officers face when fighting criminal activity out at sea.

The Gibraltar Police Federation is supporting the officers concerned in their consideration of an appeal of the judgment to the Court of Appeal.

The Gibraltar Police Federation is absolutely shocked at the comments made at the Magistrates’ Court this morning by Mr Charles Gomez, representing the former Commissioner Mr McGrail, suggesting that the GPF has acted improperly with a witness in a criminal case.

As a result, we will be taking legal advice on the matter and will consider all options at our disposal and reserve all our rights on this matter.

The lack of respect and contempt demonstrated against the GPF by Mr Gomez and his subsequent defamatory comments, cannot and will not go unchallenged.

His grave suggestions of impropriety only serve to undermine and discourage potential victims of abuse coming forward to report these kinds of sensitive matters in the future.

Mr Gomez’s plea of “The absolute need for respect and privacy for all involved and their respective families” seems to have been quickly forgotten by him.

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This afternoon Francis Buttigeg from Dignity at Work Now, delivered an introductory presentation in relation to Bullying and Harrassment at Work to Police recruits.

An invaluable talk, which promotes dignity in the workplace.