Reform through Merger: 1984 Greek Police Organization - Essay Example

A very important development took place in 1984 with the reform of the Greek police force. It took the form of a merger between two historically independent police forces that had previously dominated law-enforcement operations within Greece, the Gendarmerie and the Urban Police Force. A detailed historical introduction sets the scene and explains how and why particular features and unique characteristics of the two police forces were in place in the 1980s. After this, in chapter two, there is a consideration of primary documents not previously released into the public realm, to give an insight into the aims and ambitions behind the 1984 law, most notably the Plakias report of 1982. A review of the literature on policing is conducted, with an emphasis on different sources and types of accountability, cultural and political pressures, the challenge of change in what is inherently a conservative domain, and the need for deep transformation involving hearts and minds, rather than simply superficial structural adjustments.

New empirical fieldwork is conducted in the form of interviews with police officers- past and present- to assess the success or otherwise of the 1984 merger itself, and to see what they suggest as ways forward for the continued modernization of the Greek police service. Supplementary evidence is gathered from newspaper articles in Greece and presented to fill out some of the public debates that were current at the time of the merger. The study concludes with an analysis of the information received and a review of the arrangements currently in place to guarantee accountability and effectiveness in the Greek Police. It offers a generally positive evaluation of the merger and its aftermath, both in terms of the reform of the Greek policing system, and in terms of Greek society as a whole.

 “The creation of a ‘society of citizens’ where the State will be subjected to civilian control and will serve the citizens, requires the modernization, the democratization and finally the transformation of all State authority means” (Preliminary/ Explanatory Report to the Greek Parliament, August 20th, 1984).In many modern states, policing plays a vital role in enforcing the rule of law and guaranteeing daily the daily liberties that most people in present-day Western democracies take for granted. There are, however, many tensions involved in setting up and operating an effective policing regime, such as the deciding between the needs of national and local government, implementing reforms and policy decisions, balancing real needs with available resources, and keeping up to date with the latest theories and practices of policing.