femicide

107 police officers who have committed serious criminal offenses remain in police services or “active” within the Police due to procedural pending cases and their departure from EL.AS has been disciplinary requested.

Among them is the guard of the Police Department of Aghii Anargyri, who starred in the unprecedented dramatic event with the murder of the 28-year-old Sunday Griva, while he was calling Immediate Action and asking for… police assistance. In fact, he had been sentenced to eight years in prison for aiding a ring of smuggling illegal immigrants through airports in 2014 and remained in EL.AS., even though procedures for his removal had been initiated.

In the same Department, as reported by “Vimas” information, there was also a police officer who was accused in December 2021 of participating in a large ring, which consisted of 25 people, of which the nine police officers (a commander of the Security Department in Western Attica), for issuing at least 200 fake IDs and travel documents that facilitated the movements and escape of dangerous foreign criminals! The police officers in question are unfavorably transferred to regional police stations, but are called upon to deal with – as was the case with the massacre in Agioi Anargyros – critical issues for the safety of citizens without ultimately responding adequately to their duties, precisely because of their official “distancing” .

It is estimated that every year around 120-150 police officers are arrested or prosecuted for serious offenses (bodily harm, rape, drug trafficking, falsification of documents, dereliction of duty, etc.), most of them due to pending cases – and after the initial availability – they serve in their positions normally. Also, each year it is estimated that approximately 1,000-1,500 police officers are punished for various small or large-scale offenses, while an average of approximately 5,000 internal audits are ordered.

ATs are considered weakened by 40%-70%.

The tragic incident with the cold-blooded murder of the 28-year-old by her ex-partner reflects the multitude of problems that exist today in the operation of the police departments of Attica, which are considered weakened by 40%-70%. According to EL.AS executives, “In addition to these shortages, approximately 10-15 police officers are “lost” every day in order measures, in guarding targets and in various other duties.”

And they continue by stressing that the presence of police officers in all forms of events and demonstrations, guarding courts, supervising residences of political figures, assisting in eviction proceedings and bailiffs leads to the complete weakening of police departments. In addition, because lately there has been reinforcement of the “blocks” with forces from the Crime Prevention and Suppression Teams (OPKE) which have more than doubled, the police departments are busy with about 10-15 arrivals daily from these checks.

As is clear from the above, the same sources report, approximately 50% of the 100-200 citizens who come daily to police stations or security departments to proceed with complaints and lawsuits for various issues of their daily life, such as, e.g. , for theft and burglary reports, are not served, but are asked to… spend another day again. These gaps in policing are now being attempted to be covered by secondment of police officers from the province and public expenditure which in 2023 amounted to 45 million euros, “something that will increase in the new year, since each of the crews that have come to Attica in the last period of time costs around 4,000 euros per months» mention features.

Processing treatment

The same officers of EL.AS. fill in: “The … processing treatment of the 28-year-old in Agioi Anargyros when she reported being threatened by her ex-partner is indicative”. And they mention features: “The female police officers who were present were content to listen to her description, without even asking her for her identification details. They didn’t weigh the risk he might be in. They did not file a case file, as they could, and then inform the prosecutor. They did not attempt to search and locate the 39-year-old as a warning and deterrent, as they could, in order to find out where he is and what his intentions were. They didn’t take care of the 28-year-old’s safety and… they were comfortable with her report – at least as they claim – that she would call “100” herself and leave the Department.”

On the other hand, until a few years ago there was almost complete indifference on the part of the police in the management of such incidents. And it is indicative that in the period 2020-2021 there were internal documents for “discouragement of citizens in submitting complaints, refusal to receive a lawsuit as well as generally not taking the appropriate actions”.

The situation improved after 2021 and the murder of a 31-year-old woman by her husband in Dafni, while there had been complaints about her abuse, but police patrols had not been arrested. Now, every year EL.AS. deals with approximately 12,000 cases of domestic violence relatively adequately, but sometimes the perpetrators have been given room to proceed with criminal attacks.

The Chrysochoidis plan

‘Exercises’ to see if police respond to staged complaints of domestic violence. Special plan for the protection of victims in a place of safe accommodation and immediate identification of the potential perpetrator of criminal activity. Vigilance to effectively offer assistance to citizens who need assistance from patrolling police officers.

These are the new measures of the Minister of Citizen Protection Mr. Michalis Chrysochoidis, part of which was announced on Friday after a relevant meeting. In fact, in a recent document it is requested by the operations center of EL.AS. “to immediately send patrol cars, motorized forces, security teams on the spot, depending on the case, to deal with the incident”.