Greek law enforcement and security agency From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hellenic Police (Greek: Ελληνική Αστυνομία, Ellinikí Astynomía, abbreviated ΕΛ.ΑΣ.) is the national police service and one of the three security forces of Greece (the others being the Hellenic Fire Service and the Hellenic Coast Guard). It is a large agency with responsibilities ranging from road traffic control to counter-terrorism. Police Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios[1] is Chief of the Hellenic Police. He replaced Lazaros Mavropoulos in January 2024. The Hellenic Police force was established in 1984 under Law 1481/1-10-1984 (Government Gazette 152/A/8-10-1984) as the result of the fusion of the Gendarmerie (Χωροφυλακή, Chorofylakí, 1833–1984) and the Cities Police (Αστυνομία Πόλεων, Astynomía Póleon, 1921–1984) forces.[2]
| Hellenic Police Ελληνική Αστυνομία Elliniki Astynomia | |
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| Abbreviation | ΕΛΑΣ |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1 November 1984 |
| Preceding agencies |
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| Jurisdictional structure | |
| National agency | Greece |
| Operations jurisdiction | Greece |
| Governing body | Government of Greece |
| Constituting instrument |
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| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Overseen by | Ministry of Citizen Protection |
| Headquarters | Athens, Greece |
| Sworn members | 65,000 |
| Agency executives |
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| Website | |
| www | |
According to Law 2800/2000, the Hellenic Police is a security organ whose primary aims are:
The Hellenic Police is constituted along central and regional lines. The force takes direction from the Minister for Citizen Protection.
The Hellenic Police force[3][4] is headed in a de jure sense by the Minister for Citizen Protection (in a similar way that many US Police Departments give an elected civilian the role of Commissioner), and although the Minister sets the general policy direction of Greece's stance towards law and order as a whole, the Chief of Police is the day-to-day head of the force. Underneath the Chief of Police is the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Police whose role is largely advisory, though in the event of the Chief of Police being unable to assume his duties, the Deputy Chief will take over as the interim head. Regular meetings are also held with the Council of Planning and Crisis Management which is comprised from the heads of the main divisions of the 3 Security Forces (Hellenic Police, Hellenic Fire Service, Hellenic Coast Guard), and raise relevant issues with the Chief of Police him/herself. The Deputy Chief oversees that Council. Underneath the Deputy Chief is the Head of Staff, who, in addition to acting as 'Principal' of the Police Academy, heads the Security Branch, the Order Branch, the Border Protection and Immigration Branch, the Administrative Support and Human Resources Branch and the Financial and Technical Support and Informatics Branch. Equal in rank are the General Inspectors of Southern and Northern Greece, who have under their jurisdiction the regional services of both these administrative divisions. The Security and Order Branches are by far the most important, and include the General Policing Division, the Traffic Police Division, the Public Security Division, the State Security Division (a division protecting the state and its interests equivalent to the NSA in the US, which replaced the National Security Service after its abolition in 1984), the Passports and Other Security Documents Division and the International Police Cooperation Division.
Greece is divided into two sectors for policing, both headed by an Inspector General with the rank of Lieutenant General. These sectors both contain several regions, headed by Regional Directors, usually with the rank of Major General or sometimes with the rank of Brigadier General.
Southern Greece (Inspector General: Lt. Gen. Panagiotis Poupouzas)
Northern Greece (Inspector General: Lt. Gen. Georgios Papadopoulos)
Note: While Thessaloniki is not considered a region from a geographical and administrative standpoint, the Thessaloniki General Police Directorate operates as a General Regional Directorate and is actually considered the Hellenic Police's "Northern Greece HQ".
The Hellenic Police force has several divisions and services under the authority of the Chief of Police, the Deputy Chief and the Head of Staff which work in conjunction with regional and other police sectors where necessary.[5] These divisions are usually headed by Major Generals and Brigadier Generals. These are as follows:
Overseen by the Chief of Police:
Overseen by the Deputy Chief:
Overseen by the Head of Staff:
Other Specialized Police Units within Departments
Each of the 74 Regional Units of Greece has its own Police Directorate (Αστυνομική Διεύθυνση), headquartered in the capital city of said Unit.[29] These Directorates are led by Brigadier Generals or Police Directors and are in charge of the patrol, traffic control as well as the investigation, suppression and prevention of crime in the area.
Under the command of the Directorate, there are at least 4 Bureaus: a General & Traffic Policing Bureau, a Security & Foreign Persons Bureau, an Administrative Support, HR & Education Bureau, and a Financial and Technical Support & Informatics Bureau, while Directorates with territorial jurisdiction over the country's borders also have a Border Protection & Immigration Control Bureau. All 5 Bureaus are given orders and guidelines from the 5 Branches of the Hellenic Police HQ and coordinate the various Subdivisions, Departments, Offices, Units, Precincts and Stations which fall under the oversight of the Directorate.
The cornerstone of General Policing is preemptive patrolling and responding to emergency dispatch calls. Patrol Officers as well as Dispatch Officers, who operate the call center for "100" (Emergency Phone Number in Greece) belong in the Immediate Response (Άμεση Δράση) Department. The motorcycle-mounted police units ΔΙ.ΑΣ. and ΖΗΤΑ belong in this Department as well.[30] Immediate Response officers may also support other units and help out in operations whenever necessary.
Traffic Police Department(s) (including their Traffic Accidents Control and Prevention Units - Ο.Ε.Π.Τ.Α., which are usually assigned on Highway Patrol), Tourist Police Department(s), the Prisoner Transport - Courtroom Police Department and the Airport Police Department (wherever applicable) also operate under this Bureau.
All 5 of these types of Departments operate exclusively within the metropolitan borders of the Regional Unit's capital. There also operates at least one Precinct in said city which mainly acts as a community outreach for civilians to report police-related matters and have a direct contact with law enforcement officers.
Among a Precinct's duties are a) keeping individuals in custody who were arrested for committing a crime in the area, as well as interrogating them and investigating their cases before handing them over to the DA's office, b) allowing citizens to report local crimes in person as well as investigating and resolving those crimes, c) issuing IDs and weapon-carrying permits as well as registering citizen-owned weapons, d) patrolling districts in their area of jurisdiction on foot, e) guarding high-risk public buildings (eg Embassies, the City Hall etc), crime scenes, off-limits areas, large events etc, f) analyzing crime stats regarding their area of jurisdiction and the effectiveness of policing tactics. The first three of these duties are delegated to either the Investigations Office in smaller Precincts or the Crime Detection and Suppression Departments or Subdivisions in larger Precincts (see Security & Foreign Persons Bureau).
63 Precincts around the country are also currently housing Domestic Violence Offices which civilians can visit in order to seek help from investigators with specialized training on matters of domestic violence as well as to obtain the "Panic Button" app and be able to communicate with the Police immediately and discreetly during a domestic crisis emergency. Investigators of these offices perform routine check-ups on victims even after their abuser has been arrested and sentenced.
Smaller towns and villages which are located outside the city limits of the Regional Unit's capital on the other hand, are patrolled by the officers of the local Precincts and Stations (very small Precincts in small, remote villages and islands), similar to how Sheriffs' Departments patrol the unincorporated areas in the US. This used to be under the jurisdiction of the Hellenic Gendarmerie before its fusion with the Cities Police in 1984. Patrol Officers of local Precincts also perform duties of Traffic Policing.
This Bureau oversees the Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivision (previously called Security Subdivision) of a Police Directorate, which deals with the detection and suppression of crime in the capital city of the Regional Unit (excl. Attica and Thessaloniki) and consists of a Narcotics Department, a Public Security Department with Offices of Homicide & Kidnapping, Property Crimes, Extortion Crimes, Human Trafficking, Illegal Items Trafficking, National Cultural Heritage & Antiquities Crimes, Financial Crimes and Organized Athletic Violence, as well as the standalone Departments/Offices of State Security, Hate Crimes & Extremist Violence and of Juvenile Protection & Juvenile Delinquency.
The Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions of Attica and Thessaloniki on the other hand, oversee and coordinate the aforementioned Crime Detection and Suppression Departments which are housed at the plethora of Precincts of those two large metropolitan areas and, ever since the formation of the Division of Organized Crime aka the "Greek FBI", they are tasked with exclusively investigating non-organized crime taking place in the suburb under their jurisdiction.
All Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions in Southern Greece (apart from the Region of Crete) must report all their activity to the HQ of the Division of Organized Crime in Athens and the central Crime Detection and Suppression Division of Attica, while Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions in Northern Greece must report all their activity to the Subdivision of Organized Crime of Northern Greece and the central Crime Detection and Suppression Division of Thessaloniki.[31] Crete has its own Department of Organized Crime where the Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions of the region report their activity to and which assists them with more severe cases of Organized Crime in the area. For this reason, there is a liaison in every Police Directorate across the country linking the Directorate to these central Divisions. The three Departments of the Organized Crime Division also have authorization to take over any criminal investigation regarding Organized Crime taking place in their respective areas of jurisdiction (Northern Greece, Southern Greece and Crete) at any given moment after prior communication with the Director of the local Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivision.
The central Crime Detection and Suppression Divisions of Attica and Thessaloniki also include Departments of Searches, which are part of the larger European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST) and are tasked with tracking down fugitives and criminals with active outstanding warrants against them.
The Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions and Departments mostly consist of Investigators, i.e. Deputy Lieutenants (aka Warrant Officers) and Commissioned Officers (officers with a rank of Lieutenant II or higher) or Deputy Sergeants and Sergeants with Investigative Duties, while Constables, Deputy Sergeants and Sergeants without Investigative Duties who belong in this Division are usually part of the Units of Suppression and Prevention of Crime (Ο.Π.Κ.Ε.), the tactical ops groups which execute operations and arrest warrants for these Subdivisions, as well as the special motorcycle unit "Action" (Δράση), a patrolling unit in Attica and Thessaloniki which responds exclusively to severe crimes and crises with a much faster response time compared to regular patrol officers. There are also Ο.Π.Κ.Ε. Units which are tasked with patrolling certain districts, and/or during certain hours, known for their high crime rates, in order to be instantly available to assist Δράση and regular patrolling units of the Immediate Response Department during a riskier emergency.[32][33] These 2 special units are part of the Department of Suppression and Prevention of Crime of the Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivision.
If the op or the arrest requires even more specialized forces (either because of heavily armed perpetrators, the involvement of hostages, the suspicion that there is an explosive device or a weapon of mass destruction at play, the threat of a terrorist attack, or even just because the opposition force is overwhelming), members of the Special Police Forces, such as the SWAT-equivalent Special Suppressive Anti-Terrorist Unit (Ε.Κ.Α.Μ. - S.S.A.U.), the K9 Unit, the Bomb Squad or the Police Air Service may be called in. These forces are also called in during emergencies and crises which regular police personnel cannot resolve like large manhunts for dangerous escaped criminals or missing persons. In Attica and Thessaloniki, they operate under the Subdivision of Special Police Forces of the Division of Police Operations.
Riot Police Units (ΜΑΤ) also operate under this Division and are divided into the Subdivision of Public Order Reinstatement (Υποδιεύθυνση Αποκατάστασης Τάξης - Υ.Α.Τ.) and the Subdivision of Order Measures Enforcement (Υποδιεύθυνση Μέτρων Τάξης - Υ.ΜΕ.Τ.).[34] Officers of the Subdivision of Order Measures Enforcement bear regular police uniforms and gear and are usually a much tamer unit which is present in small rallies, sports games or gatherings where violent episodes and riots are not expected to break out. Officers of the Subdivision of Public Order Reinstatement on the other hand bear a more militaristic, olive green uniform and gear which includes riot shields, helmets, tear gas, flash-bang grenades and oxygen masks. They also do not wear name tags or their badge numbers on their suits like the rest of police personnel, in order to keep their identities hidden. They are usually present in larger rallies, sports games and other types of public gatherings, especially ones orchestrated by anarchists, and other types of extremists, where violence and rioting is expected to break out. Officers of the latter subdivision have thus been the subject of many controversies regarding the alleged use of extreme and unwarranted police violence against civilians.
In the rest of Police Directorates around the country, Riot Police Units, K9 Units, Bomb Squad Units and Drone Operator Units are standalone Special Units which operate directly under the command of the Directorate (instead of under any specific Subdivision or Department), and help out other departments in operations whenever necessary. As for S.S.A.U./Ε.Κ.Α.Μ., there only operates 1 more such unit in Greece and that is in Crete. It is under the command of the Subdivision of Police Operations of the General Regional Police Directorate of Crete.
There are also 7 Departments of Police Operations under the command of this Subdivision which are unique to the island of Crete and operate in the many provincial and rural areas of the island where illegal weapon ownership and use, vendetta homicides, extensive cannabis farming and drug trafficking are very common occurrences. These Departments help the local, rural Precincts keep the aforementioned major criminal activities under control by assisting in patrols as well as performing operations and arrests, similar to how Ο.Π.Κ.Ε. operates in the capital cities of the island's Regional Units.
Finally, Regional Units which are situated near the borders of the country also have Immigration Control and Border Protection Departments,[21] composed mostly of Border Guards, special police personnel with a 3-month basic training and a fixed-term contract. There are also Immigration Control and Foreign Persons Subdivisions and Departments in Attica and Thessaloniki, due to the large amounts of illegal immigrants as well as the amount of crime attributed to them in those large cities, while the rest of the Police Directorates just have a Foreign Persons Office in their Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions.
Each Directorate also has a Passport Issuing Office, as well as an Office of Forensic Investigations, equipped with a Crime Scene Unit ("Σήμανση") as well as the necessary laboratories and specialized personnel in order to collect and analyze crime scene evidence such as biological and biochemical samples, digital data, ballistics evidence, etc.[11] General Regional Police Directorates on the other hand, have offices of Intelligence Gathering and Management, of Internal Affairs and of Press, Communication and PR, all 3 of which report directly to their respective Divisions at HQ.
The Counter-Terrorism Division and the Cyber Crime Division are the only major divisions to exclusively operate in Attica and Thessaloniki, while the International Police Cooperation Division only operates in Attica. Additionally, even though the Government Officials and other Susceptible Targets Protection General Division operates in Attica from an administrative standpoint, the personnel of this division have a duty to follow the person of interest they are protecting wherever they may travel to around the country as well as abroad.
Source:[35]
| Title | Police Lieutenant General | Police Major General | Police Brigadier General | Police Director | Police Deputy Director | Police Captain I (or Police Major) | Police Captain II | Police Lieutenant I | Police Lieutenant II | Police Deputy Lieutenant (or Police Warrant Officer) | Police Sergeant
(Investigative Duty - with promotion exam) |
Police Sergeant
(Investigative Duty) |
Police Sergeant
(non-Investigative Duty) |
Police Deputy Sergeant
(Investigative Duty) |
Police Deputy Sergeant
(non-Investigative Duty) |
Constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek title | Αντιστράτηγος | Υποστράτηγος | Ταξίαρχος | Αστυνομικός Διευθυντής | Αστυνομικός Υποδιευθυντής | Αστυνόμος Α΄ | Αστυνόμος Β΄ | Υπαστυνόμος Α΄ | Υπαστυνόμος B΄ | Ανθυπαστυνόμος | Αρχιφύλακας (Ανακριτικός Υπάλληλος - Με εξετάσεις) | Αρχιφύλακας (Ανακριτικός Υπάλληλος) | Αρχιφύλακας
(Μη ανακριτικός υπάλληλος) |
Υπαρχιφύλακας (Ανακριτικός Υπάλληλος) | Υπαρχιφύλακας
(Μη ανακριτικός υπάλληλος) |
Αστυφύλακας |
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Title | Police Lieutenant General | Police Major General | Police Director | Police Deputy Director | Police Captain I (or Police Major) | Police Captain II | Police Lieutenant | Police Deputy Lieutenant (or Police Warrant Officer) | Police Sergeant | Constable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek title | Αντιστράτηγος | Υποστράτηγος | Αστυνομικός Διευθυντής | Αστυνομικός Υποδιευθυντής | Αστυνόμος Α΄ | Αστυνόμος Β΄ | Υπαστυνόμος | Ανθυπαστυνόμος | Αρχιφύλακας | Αστυφύλακας |
| Insignia | |
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Police constables are usually assigned on patrol, dispatch, traffic control, guard or desk duty when they first graduate the Police Academy's School of Police Constables[38] and can become part of riot police or other special police units (Special Suppressive Anti-Terrorist Units, Units for the Prevention and Suppression of Crime, K-9 units etc.) after at least 5 years of service.[32]
Constables can become Deputy Sergeants after a few years of service if their commanding officer deems they deserve it and usually have the same duties but with more responsibilities.
Both Constables and Deputy Sergeants can become Sergeants if they have completed at least three years of service, or at least two if they have a Bachelor's Degree, either through evaluations from their Commanding Officers, as part of their normal progression of the ranks (three chevrons), or through examinations (four chevrons). Three-chevron Sergeants can also be promoted to four-chevron Sergeants through the same examination which is held once a year.[39][40]
Sergeants are usually squad leaders, duty officers, shift supervisors, field supervisors on patrol and assistant watch commanders, or have other supervisory roles in certain offices, or within precincts, departments and regional directorates (e.g. inventory managers). In other words, they are the equivalent of middle managers with a certain number of Constables under their command. They can also be field trainers at the academy.
Deputy Sergeants and Sergeants "with Investigative Duties" on the other hand are usually assigned on ongoing investigations, but not as lead detectives.
Since the Hellenic Police was created with the help of the British Police, and is therefore based primarily on their operational structure, there is no "Detective" rank. Thus, Deputy Lieutenants (aka Warrant Officers), Lieutenants (I-II) and even Captains II are usually the primary investigators on a case (similarly to Inspectors and Chief Inspectors in the British Police). Officers of these ranks can also take on duties of watch commanders, platoon leaders and/or act as senior supervisors of task forces, units and operations. That said, it is not uncommon to see Deputy Lieutenants and Lieutenants II out on patrol as they can also be assigned as field supervisors and shift supervisors or even duty officers, just like Sergeants, although less often.[40][41]
A Sergeant can become a Deputy Lieutenant after at least five years of service as a Sergeant, or at least two if they have a Bachelor's Degree and that degree was not taken under consideration during their promotion from Constable/Deputy Sergeant to Sergeant.
Deputy Lieutenants can then be promoted to Lieutenants II after successfully completing the Police Academy's School of Post-Graduate Learning and Lifelong Education which lasts 1 year and they can reach up to the rank of Captain I if they ever were four-chevron Sergeants, or Lieutenant I if not.
On the other hand, graduates of the Police Academy's School of Police Commissioned Officers immediately start out at the rank of Lieutenant II and can reach up to the rank of Lieutenant General, the highest rank in the Hellenic Police.
Scientists (biologists, chemists, physicists, computer scientists, anthropologists etc.) and doctors can also join the Hellenic Police Force starting on the rank of Lieutenant I (for Scientists) or Captain II (for Doctors) without going through the entire Undergraduate Program of the Police Academy. They only get a three-month basic training on the use of weapons as well as the basics of the law and police procedures. These officers usually join the Forensic Investigation Division or the Health and Safety Division (more so the case for Doctors) and can reach up to the rank of Major General and become Directors of the two aforementioned Divisions.
Captains I (rank equivalent of Major) and Captains II are usually the Commanding Officers and Deputy Commanding Officers respectively, of Precincts, Departments, Offices, Bureaus or certain Units, although Captains II and even Lieutenants I and Lieutenants II can also take on the role of Commanding Officer in smaller Departments, Offices and Precincts (with Lieutenants I, Lieutenants II and Deputy Lieutenants as their Deputy Commanding Officers respectively). Lieutenants, Deputy Lieutenants or even Sergeants on the other hand, can be assigned as commanding officers of Police Stations (Αστυνομικοί Σταθμοί), which are essentially very small Precincts in small, remote villages and islands.
Captains I, Police Deputy Directors (rank equivalent of Lieutenant Colonel in the armed forces and Superintendent in the British Police) and Police Directors (rank equivalent of Colonel in the armed forces and Chief Superintendent in the British Police) can take on the role of Subdivision Directors, Police Directors and Brigadier Generals can command Police Directorates of Regional Units, while General Regional Police Directorates and the Branches and Divisions of the Hellenic Police HQ are usually led by Brigadier Generals or Major Generals.
Finally, there are only five Lieutenant Generals in the Hellenic Police Force: the Chief of the Hellenic Police, the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Police, the Head of Staff of the Hellenic Police and the Inspectors of Northern Greece and Southern Greece.
The Hellenic Police does not have ranks of four- or five-star generals.
These are the new Gross Salary Ranges for Sworn Police Officers of the Hellenic Police, which will take effect on July 1, 2025.[42] Apart from the Officers' Rank and Position, their years of active duty on the force, their way of entering the force (either through the School of Police Constables, the School of Police Commissioned Officers or by initially joining as a Special Guard or Border Guard before becoming a Constable), their marital status and weather they have children or not, are all factors which decide their exact earnings.
Extra payments and benefits for night shifts are not accounted for in these ranges. Thus, most of these salaries are expected to be quite higher in reality.
| Rank/Position | Possible Duties | Gross Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| Police Constable | Patrol, Dispatch, Guard, Desk, Traffic Control | €1,055 - €1,954 |
| Police Deputy Sergeant | Patrol, Dispatch, Guard, Desk, Traffic Control, Deputy Duty Officer, Junior Investigator | €1,115 - €2,149 |
| Police Sergeant | Patrol, Dispatch, Guard, Desk, Traffic Control, Duty Officer, Shift Supervisor, Field Supervisor, Assist. Watch Commander, Squad Leader, Field Trainer, Junior Investigator, Police Station (Deputy) Commanding Officer | €1,115 - €2,399 |
| Police Deputy Lieutenant (Police Warrant Officer) | Duty Officer, Shift Supervisor, Field Supervisor, Watch Commander, Platoon Leader, Assistant Investigator, Police Station (Deputy) Commanding Officer, Police Precinct/Department Deputy Commanding Officer | €1,255 - €2,485 |
| Police Lieutenant II | Duty Officer, Shift Supervisor, Field Supervisor, Watch Commander, Platoon Leader, Taskforce Supervisor, Operation Supervisor, Senior Investigator,Police Station (Deputy) Commanding Officer, Police Precinct/Department/Office (Deputy) Commanding Officer | €1,225 - €2,565 |
| Police Lieutenant I | Watch Commander, Platoon Leader, Taskforce Supervisor, Operation Supervisor, Lead Investigator, Police Station Commanding Officer, Police Precinct/Department/Office (Deputy) Commanding Officer, Forensics Scientist | €1,305 - €2,595 |
| Police Captain II | Taskforce Supervisor, Operation Supervisor, Lead Investigator, Police Precinct/Department/Office/Bureau (Deputy) Commanding Officer, Forensics Scientist, Doctor | €1,385 - €2,725 |
| Police Captain I | Police Precinct/Department/Office/Bureau Commanding Officer, Subdivision (Deputy) Director, Forensics Primary Investigator/Team Leader, Forensics Deputy Department Head, Doctor | €1,544 - €3,019 |
| Police Deputy Director | Police Precinct/Department Commanding Officer, Subdivision (Deputy) Director, Directorate Deputy Director, Directorate Senior Staff Member, Forensics Primary Investigator/Team Leader, Forensics (Deputy) Department Head, Doctor | €1,647 - €3,317 |
| Police Director | Subdivision Director, Directorate (Deputy) Director, Directorate Senior Staff Member, General Regional Directorate Senior Staff Member, Forensics Department Head, Doctor | €2,023 - €3,503 |
| Police Brigadier General | Directorate Director, General Regional Directorate Senior Staff Member, General Regional Directorate (Deputy) Director, Central Divisions and Branches (Deputy) Director, Senior Staff Member at the offices of the Chief, Deputy Chief and Head of Staff of the Hellenic Police, Forensics Subdivision Director, Doctor | €2,536 - €3,736 |
| Police Major General | General Regional Directorate Director, Central Divisions and Branches Director, Senior Staff Member at the offices of the Chief, Deputy Chief and Head of Staff of the Hellenic Police | €2,980 - €3,900 |
| Police Lieutenant General | General Inspector of Northern Greece, General Inspector of Southern Greece, Head of Staff | €3,395 - €4,135 |
| Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Police | Also a Lieutenant General | €3,925 - €4,525 |
| Chief of the Hellenic Police | Also a Lieutenant General | €4,390 - €5,010 |
Source:[43]
Though there was what constituted a police force under the provisional Government of Greece during the Greek War of Independence, the first organized police force in Greece was the Greek Gendarmerie which was established in 1833 after the enthronement of King Otto. It was at that time, formally, part of the army and under the authority of the Defence Ministry (later the entirety of the organization including the Police Academy was brought under its authority). A city police force was also established but its role remained a secondary one in comparison to the Army's role (mainly dealing with illegal gambling, a severe problem at the time). Several foreign advisers (particularly from Bavaria, which emphasized elements of centralization and authoritarianism), were also brought in to provide training and tactical advice to the newly formed Police force. The main task of the police force under the army as a whole during this period was firstly to combat theft but also to contribute to the establishment of a strong executive government.
The army's links to the police and the nature of the structure of the police force and its hierarchy (that of being similar to the army) was maintained throughout the 19th century for a number of reasons. Largely the socio-political unrest that characterized the period including disproportionate poverty, governmental oppression, sporadic rebellions and political instability. As a result of this, as well as the input of the armed forces, the police force remained a largely conservative body throughout the period, while there was also a certain amount of politicization during training as the police force were trained in military camps.
![Thumb](#/media/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-71706-0032,_MS_"Völkerfreundschaft",_erste_Fahrt.jpg)
In 1906 the Greek police force underwent its first major restructuring at an administrative level. It acquired its own educational and training facilities independent of those of the army (though still remaining titularly part of the armed forces), but due to its involvement in the Macedonian Struggle, and the Balkan and First World Wars, it tended to neglect civilian matters and was partially unresponsive to the needs of Greek society at the time. However, together with the establishment of a civilian city police force for Athens in 1920 (which would eventually be expanded to the entire country), it set a precedent for further change that came in 1935 because of rapid technological, demographic and economic changes which helped it become more responsive to civilian policing needs of the time.
However, modernization of the police force was stunted by the successive periods of political instability. The dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas, compounded with both the Second World War and the Greek Civil War led to a retardation of reform throughout the late 1930s and early to mid-1940s. After the war, however, British experts were brought in to help reform the police along the lines of the British Police and, as a result, the police force ceased to be a part of the Defence Ministry after 1946. Even then, however, it did not abandon its military features and was still prevalently a military-based institution. The Civil war of the period also contributed to excess violence on both sides (government forces and the guerillas of the communist-led Democratic Army of Greece).[44] Torture and abuse of human rights were widespread especially during the early periods of the war when parts of the country were in a state of near lawlessness. Despite this, after the war, the police force did reach a respectable level of civilian policing throughout the mid-1960s which was once again stunted by the rise to power of the Military dictatorship of the Colonels from 1967 to 1974 where it was largely employed as a method of quelling popular discontent along with the Greek Military Police (ΕΣΑ) force of the dictatorship.
After the fall of the Colonels, Greece became a Republic and the infamous ΕΣΑ was cleansed of torturers and renamed "Military Police". The organization of regular police forces remained unchanged, up until PASOK's rise to power, which had sought to "democratize" the security forces.[45] Despite strong opposition from both the Gendarmerie and the Cities Police,[46] in 1984 both were merged into a single unified Hellenic Police Force which maintained elements of a military structure and hierarchy. The new mega-scheme also initially incorporated the Rural Police (Greek: Ελληνική Αγροφυλακή) as community wardens,[47] which was later (1986) turned over to the prefectures,[48] but not the Hellenic Fire Service due to widespread unrest in the Service.[49][50] The Hellenic Police also undertook the duties of the National Security Service and incorporated joint Gendarmerie-Cities Police services like the Directorate of Forensics.[51]
Because of the long tradition of militaristic elements within the structure of the police even the Council of State of Greece ruled that the police should be regarded as a military body and that members are not civilians but members of the military engaged in a wider role together with the Armed Forces to supplement the Army in defense of the homeland. This however, has in recent years been relegated to policing duties such as border patrols and combating illegal immigration and is not reflective of any de facto military duties outside of that of a defensive role in the event of an invasion. Today the Hellenic Police assists in training various emerging Eastern European and African police forces and Greece has one of the lowest crime rates within the European Union.
Since 2012, the Hellenic Police has operated the CyberKid website and the synonymous mobile application, which aims to provide useful information to children and their parents about using the internet.[52] In 2013, the Cyber Crime Unit of the Hellenic Police, under the auspices of the Ministry of Citizen Protection, organised a number of conferences[53][54] to inform kids and parents about the dangers that a child can have while using the internet.[55][56]
A significant part of the training for all officers is protection and safeguarding of children, and any form of child abuse is faced with a "Zero Tolerance" policy.[citation needed]
Additionally, the Hellenic Police has shown active support to the Children's Smile (Greek: Το Χαμόγελο του Παιδιού) a non-profit organization, via a financial donation[57] and the assurance that the agency was, is, and will remain "for life" an active supporter of the organization.
A free of charge digital application called Panic Button,[58][59][60][61][62][63] which operates 24 hours a day, was introduced in Attica and Thessaloniki on March 27, 2023, and has since become available throughout the country. Installed on smartphones, its aim is to allow police to immediately intervene in incidents of domestic violence against women.[64][65] By pressing a button, it automatically sends a short text message to the police or other special services, and it locates where the user is through the phone's Global Positioning System (GPS). The application can be provided by the Domestic Violence Offices which currently operate in 63 Police Precincts around the country, as well as counseling centers of the network under the General Secretariat of Demographic and Family Policy and Equality of the Sexes at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Attica and Thessaloniki.
On November 11, 2024, a similar application was launched on the Google Play Store and the App Store called Safe Youth which includes an emergency panic button for kids who are in danger, an anonymous form to report crimes against underage individuals as well as informational articles about social problems and crimes the youth should be aware and cautious about (drugs, sexual abuse and rape, bullying etc.).
Female Police Officers comprise ~15% of the Force's total sworn personnel and are given equal treatment in terms of salaries, education and training, duties as well as the gear they bear compared to male officers.
The first time women joined Greece's law enforcement agencies was in 1969 when 45 female Constables were hired for the Cities Police. 2 years later, in 1971, the first 25 women were hired by the Hellenic Gendarmerie. Then in 1983, 1 year before the current Hellenic Police force was founded, women were first allowed to join the School of Commissioned Police Officers of the Cities Police Academy and graduate with the rank of Police Lieutenant II.
However, the maximum number of women who could be accepted at the school was 10% of the total open positions. This changed in 2003, allowing men and women to have equal chances to be accepted in the Hellenic Police Academy.
It was 1 year before that, in 2002, when Greece became the first country in Europe to have a female officer reach the rank Police Major General.
As of May 3, 2023, 8,408 sworn female officers serve in the Hellenic Police with 91 of them being Commanding Officers of Departments, Precincts, Offices and Units, 85 of them serving in the Counter-Terrorism Division, 5 of them serving in the Bomb Squad and 10 of them serving in the Hellenic Police Air Service.
Most of them however serve in Crime Detection and Suppression Subdivisions/Departments and Investigations Offices (1155*), Traffic Police (696*), in various positions at the Hellenic Police HQ (467*) and the Forensic Investigations Division (263*). [*Stats are all as of May 3, 2023] [66]
There are several current issues affecting the police in Greece today. Of particular importance is the rise in drug related crimes, sometimes attributed to increased immigration from Albania and other former Eastern Bloc countries. This has particularly affected Athens (and specifically, Omonoia Square), which has become a central point for drug-related activities within Greece.[67]
Illegal immigration is also a problem as Greece remains both a destination and transit point for illegal immigrants, particularly from Albania (and, increasingly, African and Asian countries).[68] There has been an effort in recent years to step up the security procedures along Greece's borders, although some[who?] allege the government's approach has been heavy-handed.[citation needed] The issue of the recruitment of immigrants has also been brought up by opposition PASOK MPs in Parliament several times.
Greece is one of the few EU countries where there is a rising crime rate (although it is still very low by EU standards). Some[who?] also allege there is a division within the Greek Police force between 'Modern' and 'Traditional' elements; the 'Traditional' element is underpinned by a long history of links with the military, whereas the 'Modern' element is geared towards the police playing a greater social role in society (for example, through drug rehabilitation).[citation needed]
During a check on four persons in the area of Amarousiou on 22 November 2021 by motorcycle police unit DIAS officers, in particular the procedure of identity document (ID) checks and body search after having first ordered from them to place out the items who carry with them, they found drugs.[69][70] Among the persons was reportedly Dimitris Theodorikakos son of Citizen Protection Minister Panagiotis (Takis) Theodorikakos.[71][72][73][74][75][76] The revelation made by a retired police brigadier and the newspaper journalist and police editor of Ta Nea and To Vima Vasilis Labropoulos on Mega TV’s Mega Gegonota news[77] on 2 February 2023 where it presents photographs from the drugs and recording of data of four, referring to the Panagiotis Theodorikakos who reportedly had done intervention in order to cover up and manipulate the case file, to destroy incriminating evidences and material, and to avoid arrest and transfer before a prosecutor. Vasilis Labropoulos commented that "Mega TV and other media had not have intention to refer who is the person checked, hence they referred only [they did not name who are] are from the surrounding of mister Theodorikakos. The revelation of person who is his son he is himself revealed the minister [Panagiotis Theodorikakos]".[78][79][80][81][82]
Panagiotis (Takis) Theodorikakos announced he will file a criminal complaint[83][84] against the retired police brigadier and Vasilis Labropoulos. Also Dimitris Theodorikakos and former Chief of Hellenic Police Michail Karamalakis[85][86][87] announced they will file a criminal complaint against the retired police brigadier.[88][89]
According to some organizations Greek police have been accused of overt and, generally unpunished, brutality, in specific cases like after the 2008 Greek riots and during the 2010–2012 Greek protests sparked by the Greek government-debt crisis. Amnesty international has issued a detailed report[90] on police violence in Greece, concerning its practices in patrolling demonstrations, treatment of illegal immigrants, and other, while the Human Rights Watch has criticized the organization concerning its stance against immigrants[91][92] and allegations of torture of detainees[93] and the Reporters Without Borders have accused the police of deliberately targeting journalists.[94]
Furthermore, it has been accused of allegedly planting evidence on detainees[95][96] and mistreatment of arrested individuals. A 29-year-old Cypriot man, Avgoustinos Dimitriou, has been awarded €300,000 in damages following his videotaped beating by plainclothed police officers during a 2006 demonstration in Thessaloniki.[97][98][99][100]
In November 2019, Amnesty International made a report regarding the police violence and the use of torture methods.[101] In 2020, 26-year-old Vasilis Maggos from Volos, was found dead one month after his arrest (during an environmental demonstration) and his beating by police officers that caused him serious organ damage.[102][103][104] In April 2024 criminal prosecution was brought against six officers of the Magnesia Police Department, among others, on the charge of complicity and serial torture.[105]
In 2021, the Border Violence Monitoring Network published a report into the use of torture and inhuman treatment during pushbacks by Greek police.[106][107][108] They assert that:
AEK fan 29-year-old Greek Michalis Katsouris was stabbed multiple times and died shortly after in hospital, when in the late hours on 7 August 2023 a group of around 100-120 hooligans supporters of Dinamo Zagreb, reportedly met up with members-accomplices of an affiliated Athens club at a pre-arranged location and together made their way by car and train to AEK's stadium in Nea Filadelfia, went to Perissos, where fans of AEK were assembled in the broader vicinity.[109][110][111] Clashes ensued between the two groups, which threw flares, makeshift explosives, projectiles and rocks, and used makeshift clubs.[112] Hellenic Police have come under criticism for allowing the Dinamo Zagreb fans to assemble near the stadium and not stopping the brawl, intended to prevent the murder that occurred.[113][114][115][116][117]
A prosecutor has ordered a preliminary investigation into an incident which occurred on Akadimias Street in Athens on 16 March 2023 during the general strike where a police tow truck drove at high speed into dumpsters that were being wheeled into the middle of a street by protestors.[118][119][120]
Four police officers were arrested on 11 March 2023, include a higher officer, two lower-ranking policemen and a member of the Special Guard unit were responsible for guarding and transferring detainees, for allegedly beating and torturing a detainee.[121]
On December 5, 2022, in Thessaloniki a 16-year-old Roma youth was fatally shot in the head by a 34-year-old motorcycle police unit DIAS officer involved in a chase after the teenager allegedly filled up his pickup truck at a gas station and left without paying the 20 euro bill triggered days of often violent protests in the Thessaloniki and Athens and other parts of Greece. He had been hospitalized for more than a week but he died on 13 December 2022.[122][123][124][125]
Two motorcycle police unit DIAS officers, aged 24 and 27, were charged with raping a 19-year-old woman in Omonoia Police Station on 12 October 2022.[126]
A disabled woman brutalized by two policemen at the Omonia Police Station on 29 October 2019, Hellenic Police (ELAS) confirmed the violent incident.[127][128][129]
A special police guard Epaminondas Korkoneas killed 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on the night of December 6, 2008, following a verbal altercation with the teenager and his friends.[130][131][132][133][134][135][136][137]
Michalis Kaltezas 15-year-old was fatally shot at the back of his head by the 27-year-old police officer Athanasios Melistas[138][139][140][141] on 17 November 1985 during the annual 17 November protests remembrance day.
Iakovos Koumis (Sorira Ammochostos, 1956 – Athens, 23 November 1980) was a Cypriot law student who was fatally injured, along with 20-year-old worker Stamatina Kanellopoulou, by the Police Riot Units (M.A.T.) on 16 November 1980 during the annual 17 November protests remembrance day.[142][143][138]
In 2012, Syriza political party, disagreed with the measures taken by the State authorities and the police against illegal immigration.[144]
At early November 2012, the Minister of Public Order, Nikos Dendias, accused various MPs of the Coalition of Radical Left of "impersonating authority". According to the accusations, on 7 November 2012 the members of the party stopped a number of policemen while they were on duty, in a public protest, in order to check their credentials. Moreover, they took photographs of the plainclothes police officers and uploaded them on the internet site of the party (left.gr).[145][146][147] The accusations prompted an angry reply from the party's spokesperson, who replied that they are "dirty accusations".[148][149]
In a 1998 interview with the newspaper Eleftherotypia, Minister for Public Order Georgios Romaios (PASOK) alleged the existence of "fascist elements in the Greek police", and vowed to suppress them.[150]
Before the surrender of Androutsopoulos, an article by the newspaper Ta Nea claimed that the neo-Nazi political party Golden Dawn had close relationships with some parts of the Greek police force.[151] Since the 1990s, the Hellenic Police has been condemned for the association of many of its officers with the far right movement, in particular the Golden Dawn party.
The newspaper published then a photograph of a typewritten paragraph with no identifiable insignia as evidence of the secret investigation. In the article, the Minister for Public Order, Michalis Chrysochoidis, responded that he did not recollect such a probe. Chrysochoidis also denied accusations that far right connections within the police force delayed the arrest of Periandros. He said that leftist groups, including the ultra-left anti-state resistance group 17 November, responsible for several murders, had similarly evaded the police for decades. In both cases, he attributed the failures to "stupidity and incompetence" on behalf of the force.[151]
Golden Dawn stated that rumors about the organisation having connections to the Greek police and the government are untrue, and that the police had intervened in Golden Dawn's rallies and had arrested members of the Party several times while the New Democracy party was in power (for example, during a rally in Thessaloniki in June 2006, and at a rally for the anniversary of the Greek genocide, in Athens, also in 2006). Also, on January 2, 2005, anti-fascist and leftist groups invaded Golden Dawn's headquarters in Thessaloniki, under heavy police surveillance. Although riot police units were near the entrance of the building alongside the intruders, they allegedly did not attempt to stop their actions.[152]
The "communicating vessels" between Police and Neo-Nazis resurfaced on the occasion of the riot that broke out during a protest on march June 28, 2011, when squads of riot police rushed to protect agents provocateurs[153] isolated by the angry crowd, two of them A. Soukaras and A. Koumoutsos both unionists of ETHEL (ΕΘΕΛ) well known for both their extreme opinions, as well as their frequent presence in riots.[154]
In July 2012, it was reported that Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, had placed the alleged ties of Greek Police and Golden Dawn under scrutiny,[155] following reports of the Greek state's continued failure to acknowledge the problem.[156][157]
According to political analyst Paschos Mandravelis, "A lot of the party's backing comes from the police, young recruits who are a-political and know nothing about the Nazis or Hitler. For them, Golden Dawn supporters are their only allies on the frontline when there are clashes between riot police and leftists.[158]
Following the May 6, 2012 Greek Parliamentary election, in which Golden Dawn entered the Greek parliament, it was said that more than one out of two police officers voted for the party in districts adjacent to Athens' Attica General Police Directorate (GADA)[159] The Hellenic Police falsified those claims, some of their arguments were that "The Hellenic Police falsified those claims, some of their arguments were that "the Special Electoral Lists also included civilians and people who reside in municipalities that are different from the municipalities that are registered in their elector lists, a big number of civilians and of non-civilians include, other categories of civil servants (army, navy, airforce, coast guard, firefighting staff, etc.), while in addition many police officers vote in their local constituencies." and "1048th electoral department of the 7th District of the Municipality of Athens, in which motorcycle police unit DIAS officers / Attica Directorate of Immediate Response exercised their right to vote, golden dawn also gained 11%, ranking third (as in national elections). Finally, in the vast majority of polling stations, in which police officers also voted during the European elections, in various areas (Kaisariani, Ampelokipi, etc.) golden dawn ranked third[160][161][162] Since the election, Greek police officers have been implicated in violent incidents between Golden Dawn members and migrants. In September, one police officer was suspended for participating in a Golden Dawn raid against migrant-owned kiosks in an open market at Mesolongi; seven other officers were identified.[163] Anti-fascist demonstrators were allegedly tortured in police custody that same month.[164] In October, Greek police allegedly stood by while Golden Dawn members attacked a theater holding a production of the controversial play Corpus Christi.[165][166]
The Police Action for Human Rights (DADA) union founded, in 2018 in Athens, to protect the rights of LGBT and female police officers. Some of their basic principles are the protection of human rights, the fight against prejudice and discrimination and the equal treatment of all citizens.[167][168][169] The union has participated in events, against homophobia and racism in support of human rights, of the Athens Police Officers Association (EASYA) and representatives in the Panhellenic Federation of Police Employees.[170][171] They have also participated in the pride together with those who belong to the Democratic Union Police Movement (DEKA), of the Athens Police Officers Association (EASYA) and representatives in the Panhellenic Federation of Police Employees (POASY).[172][173]
The most common police vehicles in Greece are the white with blue stripes Citroën Xsara, Škoda Octavia, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, Hyundai i30, Citroën C4, Citroën C4 Picasso, Suzuki SX4, Jeep Liberty, Peugeot 308, Volkswagen Golf, and Nissan Qashqai. Other vehicles that Greek Police has used throughout the years are the following:
The original livery featured white roofs and doors, with the rest of the bodyshell in dark blue. The current livery was first introduced on the Citroën ZX's, although the blue stripe on the earlier models was not reflective; this gave birth to the nickname "stroumfakia" (smurfs) for the Hellenic Police.
Most Greek police vehicles are equipped with a customized Car PC, which offers GPS guidance and is connected directly with the Hellenic "Police On Line" network.
A number of police vehicles are being modified to be equipped with onboard surveillance cameras. A number of portable body-worn cameras are also sometimes used by the Immediate Response patrol officers (car patrol, ΔΙ.ΑΣ., foot patrol), Crime Prevention and Suppression Groups (Ο.Π.Κ.Ε.) officers, motorcycle police unit ΔΡΑΣΗ ("Action") officers, as well as riot police (MAT) officers.[174][175][176][177][178]
The police uses confiscated vehicles, primarily for intercepting street races and addressing other traffic violations.[179] The vehicles in question, which have been used for criminal activities and subsequently confiscated, can be granted either free of charge or in exchange for financial compensation to the police.[180]
| Weapon | Origin | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Glock 45 MOS AMS Gen5[181] |  Austria |
Handgun |
| Beretta M9 |  USA |
Handgun |
| Heckler & Koch USP |  Germany |
Handgun |
| Smith & Wesson Model 910 | USA |
Revolver |
| Ruger GP100 | USA |
Revolver |
| Heckler & Koch MP5 | Germany |
Submachine gun |
| Uzi |  Israel |
Submachine gun |
| FN P90 |  Belgium |
Submachine gun |
| FN FAL | Belgium |
Assault rifle |
| AK-47 |  Soviet Union |
Assault rifle |
| AK-74M | Soviet Union |
Assault rifle |
| M4 carbine | USA |
Assault rifle |
| Kefeus |  Greece |
Sniper rifle |
The Hellenic Police Academy in its current form was established in 1994 with the voting of law 2226/1994 through Parliament. It is situated in Athens and is under the jurisdiction of the Chief of Police and the Head of Staff. However the Chief of Police can make recommendations and act as an advisor to the Minister (i.e. the Minister of Citizen Protection) on improvements and other such issues (for example structural reform) pertaining to the academy. The Minister and the Chief of Police make annual speeches at the academy to prospective Police Officers. The school is made up of university professors, special scientists (for areas such as forensics) and high-ranking police officers who have specialist field experience. Entrance to the academy is based on Panhellenic Examinations (which are university level entrance examinations), passing specific athletic requirements and an interview, though it differs depending on which particular school of the academy the student wishes to join.[182][183]
The Police Academy includes:
Hellenic Police has a basic requirement of knowledge which is applied to all positions within the agency. These are the protection of the Constitution as well as the tackling of criminal activities and assisting in disaster situations. The emphasis during training on the support and protection of children is such, that a number of highly successful individuals that were raised as orphans, have stated that they could not say with certainty that they would make it all the way to the top, without the social service that the Hellenic Police provided to them during their childhood.[191]
Cadets spent their Winter Semesters in classes and field training at the academy, but during Spring Semesters, they are assigned to different Precincts and Departments where they can apply their knowledge out in the field, so they can be ready for duty once they become sworn Police Officers.
The personnel who are hired as police special guards and border guards (and can later be promoted to police officers after eight years of service and reach up to the rank of Deputy Lieutenant/Warrant Officer) receive three months of training. Special guards mainly have patrolling duties and they can also be part of the President and Government Officials Protection Services, the Prisoner Transport-Courtroom Police Departments, Riot Police and Police Special Forces.[192][193][194][195][196][197][198][199]
Citizens can contact, either giving their name or anonymously, the Internal Affairs Service Agency of Law Enforcement Bodies (Υ.Ε.Υ.Σ.Α. - Υπηρεσία Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων Σωμάτων Ασφαλείας - Ypiresia Esoterikon Ypotheseon Somaton Asfalias), which is under the authority of Ministry of Citizen Protection, in order to report complains, anti-social behavior, offences, abuse of power on-duty or off-duty, violence, mistreatment, sexual abuse and various other illegal acts committing by Greek police personnel.[200][201][202][203][204][205][206][207][208][209][210][211]
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