Even though the statute gives the women full policing powers, they continue to carry out servile roles as that of 'personal assistants, secretaries, typists, cleaners and cooks.' Out of a population of 200 policewomen, 133 perform office work at the General Head Quarters whereas 67 are posted in districts and are assigned to routine office work.

Research conducted by the University of Malta indicates that Maltese policewomen are subject to frequent sexual harassment. Afraid to speak up, they either accept the situation or leave the Police Force.

Gender discrimination is evident right from the recruitment stage. For example, the height requirement for entering the force is 5' 6" , putting the women at a disadvantage as Maltese women are at an average shorter than the required height. For every 77 policemen that are recruited, only 10 corresponding women are selected. Other such indicators of gender discrimination include the training curriculum that has been designed separately for both the genders, with the course outline for policewomen oriented more towards administrative duties than combat training. When it comes to rising through the ranks, Maltese policewomen still face the highest hurdle: the glass ceiling (Martin 1991 quoted in Burn 1996:73). A senior police official on the condition of remaining anonymous explained that, "In Malta one cannot expect policewomen to acquire key positions as despite their qualifications, women are prone to marry and bear children. Consequently, once a Maltese policewoman manages to reach the level of an inspector, her career advancement is halted."

Gender biases are not just restricted within the police force but also spread across the community. The problem gets further compounded because of the negative perceptions that the police conjure up within the community. The police force is seen as oppressive and the job of policing is depicted as a job for persons who possess brawn but not necessarily brains. Even when it includes policewomen the general perception is that they are 'brash and sexy' thereby representing a sexist image.

Consequently, Maltese policewomen are rarely taken seriously indicating that the general public has not yet accepted policewomen. The majority (60%) of district policewomen claimed that they received sexist remarks whereas a much lesser portion (37%) of Headquarters policewomen endured such remarks. However, one must keep in mind that the officers at the headquarters only come in contact with the public on their way to and from work. More and more policewomen now wear their uniform only in the work place and change back to their street clothes once out of the office premises.

Policing is a complex service and for it to be efficient requires a congenial working atmosphere. The Maltese Police Force has to overcome its prejudices if it has to work as a coherent unit in effectively discharging its policing functions.