Cyprus Justice Minister proposes major police reforms

Cyprus Minister of Justice Costas Fytiris has unveiled a comprehensive reform plan for the national police force, aiming to modernize recruitment, training, and promotion procedures. The proposals, which were submitted to police unions Isotita and SAK on November 3, seek to replace subjective oral interviews for promotions with standardized written examinations. The minister intends for this change to ensure greater transparency and reduce the frequency of court rulings that frequently overturn promotion decisions due to procedural irregularities during board evaluations.

Additional key aspects of the reform include the decentralization of the Rapid Response Motorised Unit (MMAD), with plans to establish local units in every district to improve emergency response times, rather than relying on deployment from Nicosia. Furthermore, the ministry proposes a new partnership with Greece, allowing 20 police officers under the age of 28 to attend the Greek Police Officer Academy annually. The plan also covers improved insurance protections for officers on duty.

Police Chief Themistos Arnaoutis has been informed of these initiatives. The unions have been granted a two-week period to review the documents, following which a formal meeting will be held between the Minister, the Chief of Police, and union leaders to discuss the implementation of these measures.