Newsroom
By Elizabeth Georgiou
In a bid to put more police officers back on the streets, Cyprus’ police chief on Tuesday unveiled a new operational framework aimed at improving frontline policing and making better use of personnel.
"You don’t get rich in the police,” he said. “The salary is decent, but this is not a place for people chasing big money.”
Speaking at a press conference at the Police Academy, the Chief said the reform plan rests on three pillars: stronger operational capacity, smarter use of human resources, and greater use of technology.
In simple terms, the message was clear: more boots on the ground.
“That’s really the philosophy behind these changes,” he said, stressing that the goal is to have more officers where citizens actually need the, out in the neighborhoods, not stuck behind desks.
“It’s strange for an employer to want fewer working hours and for some to object.”
“Our aim is straightforward: more police on the streets, without reducing effectiveness,” the police chief said, insisting that staff rights will not be affected.
Responding to criticism, mostly from unions, he struck a pointed tone. “It’s paradoxical for an employer to want employees to work fewer hours and for some to disagree,” he said. “I am open to dialogue. I’ve proven that. But I also have a duty to make sure the organization works more efficiently.”
How fewer hours could mean more police on the streets
To explain the logic, the police chief used a simple hypothetical example. If the force has 1,000 officers and each works one hour less per day, that “saved” time adds up. In practice, it can translate into the equivalent of dozens of additional officers available for duty, without hiring a single new person.
In plain terms, redistributing working hours allows for more shifts, more patrols, and better coverage over time. “That means more visibility, more patrols, and safer neighborhoods,” he said.
He also reminded reporters that community policing had largely stalled in recent years, especially during the pandemic, and that municipalities are now asking for its return.
Studies on working hours and overtime have already been carried out by the police, with input from the Finance Ministry. The goal, officials insist, is not to cut pay but to distribute work more fairly and efficiently.
“Citizens pay for phones to be answered, incidents to be properly investigated, and police officers to be visible on the streets,” the police chief said.
Promotions, evaluations and overtime culture
The Chief also touched on promotions, saying vacancies must first be filled before new hires can be made. He acknowledged that the current evaluation system is outdated.
“Right now, everyone is rated ‘excellent.’ That has to change,” he said, adding that new evaluation regulations are being prepared and will be submitted to Parliament.
He was also blunt about income expectations. “You don’t get rich in the police,” he said. “The salary is decent, but this is not a place for people chasing big money.”
The changes, he explained, are meant to send a clear message: overtime cannot be treated as a permanent source of income. He hinted that past practices, combined with understaffing, led to abuse of overtime.
Wrapping up, he stressed that the reforms do not mean fewer weekends off or weaker policing. “On the contrary,” he said. “The aim is more humane working conditions, better planning, and a real presence where citizens need us.”
Unions push back: “Violation of fundamental rights”
The reaction from unions was swift and sharp.
PASDY and the Cyprus Police Association accused the police chief of acting unilaterally, particularly over plans to change working hours and cut rest days from 19.5 to 4.7 days.
In a joint statement, the unions said working hours are a fundamental and protected right that cannot be changed without dialogue and agreement. They warned that pushing ahead would seriously damage trust between police leadership and rank-and-file officers, with unpredictable consequences.
They called on the police chief to reconsider and announced an emergency meeting to decide their next steps.
Loizides: “We will not give up our rights with medieval, junta-style decisions.”
Nikos Loizides, head of the ISOTITA Police Officers Union, was even more outspoken.
He said the press conference, held 450 days into the police chief’s term, was not about modernization or evaluations but about containing backlash over the drastic cut to officers’ rest days.
“Cypriot police officers don’t hide behind press conferences,” he said. “We are direct and honest when it comes to our labor rights. And we will not give them up through medieval, junta-style decisions.”
Loizides said he expects a clear answer, “yes or no,” from the Justice Minister on Friday, warning that morale among police officers is already at breaking point.
*Read the original Greek version here.
