Police will no longer inform media if injured people are in critical condition

Police will no longer inform the media if people who are injured in accidents are in danger of dying or in critical condition, a spokesman for the police communications department said.

Until a few days ago, statements issued by the police informing the media about traffic accidents, fights, falls and other happenings which involve the police contained the phrase “filperiklu tal-mewt” if any of the injured people is in critical condition.

But, from now onwards, this will no longer be the case as, the spokesman said, no law lays down the phrase in question.

As such, statements issued by the police will still inform the media that injured people are “in intensive care” or at the “hospital intensive care unit”, but although this would effectively mean “in danger of dying” or “in critical condition”, the police will not specifically say so.

The police will continue to inform the media whether injuries sustained are “grievous” – which could be anything from a broken toe to a fractured skull – or “slight”, which in most cases relates to injuries which do not entail bone fractures or knife cuts which do not affect vital organs.

The police will also be informing the media each time a magisterial inquiry is launched, which would be a strong hint that the injuries are serious.

So if a story contains “magisterial inquiry”, “serious injuries” and “in intensive care”, readers should draw the conclusion that the injured person is in “critical condition”.