«Green light for 1,213 recruitments in the municipal police

«The way has been paved» for the launch of recruitment procedures through ASEP for 1,213 new municipal police officers in local government agencies in the educational categories of DE (Secondary), PE (University), and TE (Technical) educational categories.

A Joint Ministerial Decision signed by Interior Minister Makis Voridis and Finance Minister Christos Staikouras gave the «green light» for the allocation of 1,000 vacant permanent positions per municipality and educational category. These positions became available following corresponding requests from the municipalities, which were asked by the Ministry of the Interior to submit proposals after the passage last December of Law 5003/22 on the reorganization of the municipal police.

This approval decision is expected to be communicated tomorrow, Monday, to all municipalities nationwide, while at the same time the Ministry of the Interior will send the relevant supporting documents to the ASEP so that it can proceed with drafting the job posting. This announcement will include the 213 positions approved last September as part of the annual recruitment plan.

As the Secretary General for Public Sector Human Resources, Vivi Charalambogianni, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, it is estimated that the job posting will be published after September, given the freeze on hiring procedures during the election period.

According to the Joint Ministerial Decision, the 1,000 vacant permanent positions will be filled across 137 municipalities nationwide, comprising 633 DE-category positions, 183 PE-category positions, and 184 TE-category positions. Naturally, the Municipality of Athens receives the lion’s share with 181 positions, of which 153 are in the DE category and 14 are in the PE and TE categories. The Municipality of Thessaloniki is allocated 80 positions (40 DE, 20 PE, 20 TE), to the Municipality of Heraklion, Crete, 30 (18 DE, 6 PE, 6 TE), to the Municipality of Thermi 20 (15 DE, 4 PE, 1 TE), to the Municipality of Acharnes 16 (12 DE, 2 PE, 2 TE), to the Municipality of Thermaikos 15 (11 DE, 2 PE, 2 TE), and in the Municipality of Chalkida, 13 positions (9 DE, 2 PE, 2 TE). In addition, 12 positions are allocated to each of the municipalities of Vari–Voula–Vouliagmeni, Keratsini–Drapetsona, and Pyrgos; 11 positions to the municipalities of Agios Dimitrios, Elefsina, Kassandra, and Katerini; and 10 positions each in the municipalities of Agrinio, Drama, Eordaia, Thira, Komotini, Mandra–Eidyllia, Nafpaktia, Neapolis–Sykeon, Nikaia–Agios Ioannis Renti, Rethymno, and Florina. The remaining 111 municipalities are allocated between one and nine seats each.

Similarly, the 213 positions are distributed among 34 other municipalities, including Piraeus (77 positions), Chania (32), and Kalamaria (15).

It should be noted that this is the first time that recruitment to the municipal police will be conducted entirely through the ASEP, as until now these positions were exempt from the Authority’s jurisdiction and were filled based on a points system in accordance with the provisions of Presidential Decree 135/06.

Requirements and Qualifications for Appointment
Candidates must meet the following requirements: They must be between 20 and 35 years of age, and women must be at least 1.63 m tall and men at least 1.70 m , and be in good mental and physical health and possess the intellectual qualifications necessary to perform the duties of the position. Candidates deemed medically fit undergo physical fitness tests, which include:
a) 100-meter dash in 16 seconds (one attempt).
b) 1,000-meter run in 4 minutes and 20 seconds (one attempt).
c) High jump with a run-up of at least 1.00 m (three attempts).
d) Long jump with a run-up of at least 3.60 m (three attempts).
e) Throwing a ball (7.275 kg) a distance of at least 4.50 m, as the average of throws with the right and left hands (three attempts per hand).

Candidates who pass the athletic tests undergo psychological and aptitude tests and an interview, in order to assess, in particular, their judgment, perception, adaptability to changing situations and demands, level of preparedness, self-control, emotional stability, and personality structure.

The standard qualifications for appointment of specialized uniformed municipal police personnel, by sector and specialty, are as follows:
a. for the PE sector, a bachelor’s or associate’s degree from any department of a Greek university or an academically equivalent or comparable degree from a foreign institution,
b. for the Technical Education (TE) sector, a bachelor’s degree or diploma from any department of a Technical Educational Institute (TEI) in Greece or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution,
c. for the DE sector, any bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or vocational diploma, Level 5 Education and Training (I.E.K. or Post-High School Year – EPAL Apprenticeship Class) or Vocational Training at the post-secondary vocational education level from an I.E.K. or Vocational High School (EPAL) or Level 4 Vocational Specialization, Education, and Training from EPAL or a Technical Vocational School (TEE) Second Cycle of Studies, or a Unified Multidisciplinary High School (EPL), or a Technical Vocational High School (TEL) or a Secondary Technical and Vocational School for Foremen, or a General High School, or a Unified High School, or a General-Orientation High School, or another equivalent qualification from a domestic orabroad, regardless of specialization.

The following are specified as additional qualifications for appointment in all fields: a. Computer literacy in word processing, spreadsheets, and Internet services, a Class B driver’s license or a license for a motorcycle with a displacement of at least 50 cubic centimeters, and at least a good command of English or French.

Those who are hired will participate in a theoretical and practical training program lasting at least 6 months, provided by the Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) and the National Center for Public Administration and Local Government.

Under the new law, the force’s powers are expanded and divided into three categories based on the size of the municipality. Municipal police officers will be able to make arrests and, for specific offenses, perform the duties of an investigating officer. They will operate according to the standards of law enforcement agencies, as they will wear uniforms and carry specialized equipment such as bulletproof vests, handcuffs, and batons. Changes have also been made to the ranks and the hierarchy among special uniformed personnel, and a seniority list will now be maintained for these personnel.

Apostolos Michaloudis