Police union criticizes Cyprus mental health patient handling procedures

Nikos Loizides, spokesman for the Isotita police union, addressed the Cyprus Parliament’s Health Committee on September 10, 2026, to condemn current practices for handling mental health patients as archaic. He highlighted that police officers are frequently tasked with executing committal orders that involve breaking down doors and acting as temporary psychologists for distressed families.

According to Loizides, the current system forces officers to handcuff patients and transport them in police vans to hospitals, where they often wait in queues despite medical guidance suggesting they should receive priority. In instances where a psychiatrist requires compulsory hospitalization, officers must return to court to finalize the process. When judges order that patients be held in a 'safe place' overnight, police stations are often used as temporary facilities, forcing patients to sleep in holding cells or on the floor. The union has formally called for an urgent legislative overhaul to update these procedures and better protect the dignity and medical needs of patients.

This testimony was delivered during a broader parliamentary discussion regarding systemic failures and operational difficulties within Cyprus's mental health services, exposing a significant gap between legal mandates and the practical realities faced by law enforcement and patients alike.