The Malta Police Drug Squad and the Customs Enforcement Unit : their perception of each other

Abstract

This dissertation tries to shed light on the different perceptions the police engaged within the Drug Squad and the officials of the Customs Enforcement Unit have of each other. The researcher will compare the roles of these law enforcement officials, highlighting similarities as well as differences. Since both law enforcement roles have similar working conditions and both require constant interaction with the public, the researcher expects both Drug Squad police officers and Customs officers to share a similar occupational culture. The importance of this research emerges from its three main contributions: i.increased knowledge in the area of law enforcement occupational culture, ii. increased knowledge about the roles of Drug Squad police officers and iii. it provided an opportunity to the interviewees to express their views and suggestions. If taken into consideration by the authorities, these opinions could help nurture a better relationship between both entities. This would in turn be beneficial for society since it could lead to better law enforcement.