Cyprus’ new police chief Themistos Arnaoutis was sworn in on Monday afternoon, along with new deputy chief Panikos Stavrou, after President Nikos Christodoulides fired its leadership over the escape of convict Doros Theophanous, serving a life sentence for murder.
Speaking at the ceremony, Christodoulides said their mission would not be easy, adding that the people were rightfully demanding that their sense of safety be elevated.
“I am asking you to work with the fewest possible statements and the most action, to enhance the feeling of safety in society.”
Christodoulides said things were different nowadays and called on the new leadership to give special attention to addressing drugs, crime, hooliganism and corruption.
He also referred to terrorism, taking into consideration the challenges in the region, as well as migration, for which he said a lot of progress had been made over the past 19 months.
“The justice minister, the cabinet as a whole and I are by your side to respond to everything the society expects from us,” Christodoulides said.
The new chief of police said no significant restructuring had taken place in the police force over the past 64 years and was a pressing need.
The new deputy chief assured they would do everything in their power to raise morale within the force and increase the sense of safety among the people.
The ceremony was attended by attorney-general George Savvides, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis and government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
Earlier on Monday, Letymbiotis said the government expected the police force to come up with a “roadmap” for improvements after its two chief officers were fired.
The police chief and his deputy, Stylianos Papatheodorou and Demetris Demetriou respectively, were dismissed by Christodoulides as he returned to the island on Sunday evening following the escape of Theofanous from under the noses of seven officers last week. The escapee, aka ‘the hairdresser’, has since been caught.
The goal is to thoroughly modernise and streamline the police force in a manner which can be “felt by every member of the public”, Letymbiotis told state broadcaster CyBC.
Meanwhile, Christodoulides announced that in cooperation with the justice minister he would call a meeting of the Public Service Commission to appoint Constantinos Constantinides to the position of acting director of prisons.
