Policing Issues in Greece - Essay Example

The Hellenic Police is a government agency that was formed in 1984 with the merging of the Urban Police Forces (Astynomia Poleon) and the Gendarmerie (Chorofylaki) (Hellenic Police, 2014). As would generally be expected, the agency is charged with enforcing law and order. This, the mission of the police force in Greece is to see to it that peace prevails in the country and that citizens enjoy unhindered social development.  Its other mission is to interdict criminals, prevent crime, protect the state and ensure that a democratic government oversees the functioning of the state (Hellenic Police, 2014). In general, the Hellenic police conduct function related to general policing and traffic safety in line with the stipulates of the constitution. The police force falls within the Ministry of Interior. In this respect, the Ministry directs schedules monitors, and oversees the activities of the police force as noted by the Hellenic Police (2014). Figure 1 shows the logo of the Hellenic Police Force.

Members of the police force are trained in line with a curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Interior. Based on the training and the functions that they are mandated to perform, members of the police force on many occasions have to bear with risks as they endeavor to prevent crime and attend to the public’s demands in different situations. The force commonly relies on advanced training, technology, and cooperation with other bodies to deal with situations that they commonly face (Interpol, 2014; Hellenic Police, 2014). In as much as members of the Hellenic police are armed and trained to be extremely violent, they are supposed to be servants of the people as opposed to tyrants over them (Hellenic Police, 2014).

The Greece Police Force is divided into many units/divisions that are dedicated to tackling different problems/issues. Some of the major divisions in this respect include criminal investigation, patrol, special violent crime, forensics, internal affairs, Air Force Service, border guards, police dogs, and special guards among many others (Interpol, 2014). The police force comprises officers of different ranks and insignia. At the top of the pyramid in terms of rank is the Police Lieutenant General followed by the Police Major General and police Brigadier General. The bottom of the long list includes the Police Warrant Officer, Police Sergeant, and Police Constable. Currently, the head of the Police Force in Greece is Police Brigadier General Emmanuel Sfakianakis.

Members of the police force in Greece dress differently depending on their divisions and specific duty. For example, when the force has to deal with armed criminals, they often go armed with guns and live ammunition and protect themselves with helmets and bulletproof vests. During official functions, they dress more formally and depending on the occasion may or may not be armed. Members of the force often use police cars and vans for their transportation to and from their places of duty. Patrols on foot are also common, especially among members of the force that have lower ranks.

In the wake of protests by civilians against the government, the Hellenic Police has been subject to a lot of criticism ostensibly for using excessive force (Amnesty International, 2013). The force has also come under great criticism for its ineffectiveness in dealing with crime going by the high crime rates witnessed in the country (in comparison with other European Union countries). The force has also been criticized for the fact that the country is a major destination, and point of transit for illegal immigrants Amnesty International (2013). The force is also grappling with the issue of drug peddling and related crimes. Other criticisms leveled against policing in Greece related to the Force’s treatment of vulnerable groups; treatment of suspected criminals; racial discrimination; and impunity by members of the force as noted by Amnesty International (2013).