Controversy over police reform ‘unnecessary’ says Fitiris

Solutions covering police reform must be reached via relevant legislative framework rather than from the pressure exerted by unions and others, Justice Minister Costas Fitiris said on Monday.

“I do not believe that it is worth continuing this conflict,” he said, after visiting the Paphos police department.

He advocated for reconciliation and amity over conflict, emphasising this would benefit both police and society.

Public confrontation, the minister added, could not be the way forward, stressing the importance of the police as society’s only tool for combating crime

During the visit, Fitiris was informed about “serious understaffing” of both the central police station and those in rural areas.

While rejecting the police request for increased staffing at Paphos stations, he acknowledged that an increased number of crimes may create the need for more personnel, although this might be achieved through a redistribution of forces.

The minister said the police was going through a period of “transition and upgrading” and was expected to start operating “in the best possible way” by late April.

He emphasised that organisational duties regarding the reallocation of officers lay fully in the hands of the chief of the police, however his ministry remained at their disposal for the resolution of future issues.

Meanwhile, head of Isotita’s police branch Nikos Loizides and chief of the Cyprus police association Angelos Nikolaou called for the matter to be discussed before the House legal affairs committee in January.

Nikolaou said his organisation was awaiting a meeting of the joint police committee to discuss the issue, adding further steps depended on the outcome of the latter meeting.

The association had sent a letter to the committee last week after publicly expressing its support for the suspension of the reform plans presented by police chief Themistos Arnaoutis, which were at the centre of the controversy.

On Sunday, Isotita had called for protests to be held outside Parliament to coincide with any House legal affairs committee discussion.

Loizides said that the union was prepared to proceed with further measures, emphasising that these could only be prevented if Arnaoutis’ plan, which Isotita and other unions last week referred to as a “a blatant circumvention of labour institutions with unprecedented practices and tactics,” was suspended.

According to the unions, the reform plans deprived officers of 15 rest days, with police who previously received one day off for every 20 working days now being granted only one day off for every 76 working days, was suspended.

The plans have been the subject of much debate, with unions threatening to call for a work stoppage on the day of the opening ceremony of the EU Council Presidency.

Fitiris had responded to the union’s announcement, saying the was “worried and saddened” that such measures were being considered, however stressed that “the state will not stop functioning,” and warned that unions would face consequences if they deviated from state regulations.

A meeting between Fitiris, Isotita and the police association on Friday, which the latter described as productive, nevertheless left stakeholders entrenched in their positions.