Filenews 30 December 2025 - by Fanis Makridis
The Chief of Police, Themistos Arnaoutis, showed himself ready to break eggs, to achieve substantial policing and a more noticeable presence of members of the Force out in the field, at today's press conference.
The aim of today's meeting of Mr. Arnaoutis with the journalists was to present the plan for the modernization and upgrading of the Cyprus Police. He briefly presented the three pillars.
However, what stood out from his positions was the point of friction with the trade unions and his intention to change the employment status of members of the Force, in order to achieve a strong presence in the streets.
Specifically, one of the plans of the Chief of Police to implement the request is to change the working hours of about 1,000 police officers and instead of 12 hours to work 11 hours. In this way, he believes that he will gain a number of police officers for policing duties. He spoke of 100 additional police officers for special duties. His position is based on the fact that with the reduction of hours, the rest days for each police officer are also reduced by 15 days a year. That is, he earns from each police officer an additional 15 days.
This is what causes strong reactions from trade unions and specifically from the Cyprus Police Association (PASYDY) and the Police Force Branch ("EQUALITY"). In fact, Filenews submitted relevant questions to Mr. Arnaoutis, who, however, shows determination to implement this plan.
When we asked him about the apparent gap and opposition of the corporatist bodies, he did not ignore the disagreement that exists, but he seemed determined. Initially, he stressed his good cooperation with the trade unionists and his initiatives to have contact with them, stating that "I am glad they demand for the rights of our police officers".
But he was quick to emphasize that he knows what it means to work on the front line, citing his own presence in the House. "Woe betide us to have the same views," he said and added meaningfully: "Is it possible for the employer to want the police officers to work less and the police officers to want to work more? Isn't it a little strange to you? I tell you my concern. I am open to discussion with anyone in the Police and especially with the trade unions. I proved it."
In our new question, he commented, among other things: "I want the organization to work more effectively, more efficiently. Do you think this will come against the Police?"
At another point and answering a question, he said that with this measure the situation "will improve a lot". We asked him to give us a specific example of the numerical data and the members that the Police gains in the field.
He said, in particular, that "we gain one police officer for every 10 police officers - by reducing the hours. We win 100 police officers. The intention is to have patrols on the streets, to have people, to strengthen community policing, which, unfortunately, during Covid time for reasons that were decided and I understand them, the activity and community policing stopped. The communities, the Municipalities, are asking us to do it and we must do it and we will bring results."
In addition, when asked whether the introduction of technological means into the House will increase the number of front-line police officers. "I take it for granted that we will win," he said characteristically, without, of course, expanding.
The Chief of Police presented the three pillars of the vision for the Cyprus Police of 2030, with the aim of becoming "a modern European Police, which will be flexible and focused on enhancing the security of citizens and society".
The first pillar is "operational capability and efficiency", the second has to do with "human resources" and the third with "technology". Mr. Arnaoutis analyzed the three pillars and the three goals that accompany them.
