HSBC Malta Foundation helping keep Malta free of crime
HSBC Malta Foundation has pioneered a new way of helping the society ward off the menace of drugs and crimes by supporting the long-term nurturing of dogs at the Police Dog Section. And this is one dog fight, in which every resident is the winner.
The ultimate goal behind the Foundation’s support is to not keep on giving money but to help pioneer a lasting legacy where the dog members of the Police Dog Section not only “lend a paw” with drug busts but are effectively keeping the streets and schools safer for those who are prone to take up addictions or indulge in criminal behaviour.
Thanks to the dogs’ services, Malta has consistently earned a high-ranking in international safety indexes and thereby enhanced its reputation as a great tourism destination and an attraction for foreign students continuing their tertiary studies in Malta.
The support to the Police Dog Section dates back to 2013, when HSBC Malta’s three-year sponsorship helped the Section enlarge its force and take on additional canine recruits. One of the first recruits recently gave birth to seven Belgian Shepherd puppies who will one day take up the rank of a sergeant. The Malta Police Dog Section includes two divisions: protection and general use dogs that assist in various police duties and search dogs trained to sniff out explosives or narcotics.
“HSBC Malta Foundation is delighted to support the Police Dog Section with their important work which benefits all citizens of Malta and visitors alike. We feel this is part of our responsibility as a leading company in the community,” said CEO Andrew Beane.
“As a canine unit our primary mission is to ensure security to all people living in Malta. Dogs, having developed a highly sensitive olfactory system are very effective in both the prevention and detection of illegal substances,” said superintendent Mario Tonna. “HSBC’s financial contribution is helping us to widen our dog training opportunities and for our canine unit to obtain more resources. This will eventually increase our protection towards vulnerable people by deterring and detecting illegal substances. Thus, offering higher and better security to the Maltese society.”