Chr. Spirtzis: Retraining of special guards is an admission of government failure

«It took two and a half years during which untrained special guards, hired under exceptional provisions, were the sad protagonists in incidents of excessive police violence, lawlessness, riots, murders, accidents, and misfortunes before the Mitsotakis government decided to admit that the men of the DIAS team needed retraining.

On yet another typical day for the Mitsotakis government, which saw 103 of our fellow citizens die as a result of the health crisis, gang activity, beatings of minors, and femicide, we read and heard from the Minister of Citizen Protection, Takis Theodorikakos, admit that:

A. We have a surge in crime,

B. The tragic incident involving the 18-year-old in Perama was a murder.,

C. The «retraining» of 2,500 police officers from the «DIAS» team begins because they have realized the situation.

We will not recall the responses that Mitsotakis's propaganda machine gave us for two and a half years, accusing SYRIZA-PS of scaremongering, populism, and lies. Nor will we recall the accusations of the state apparatus regarding the reduction in crime. We will not recall what we heard about the characterization of the murder of 18-year-old Roma, Dimitris Sampanis.

However, according to leaks from the Ministry of Citizen Protection, we will ask whether the program includes two days of theoretical training on issues related to the new Penal Code, human rights, and psychology, while uniformed officers will attend courses on racism, xenophobia, asylum, the prohibition of torture, weapons training, pursuit techniques, and seminars on first aid and suspect control, how will 2,500 special guards be adequately trained by June? How many days will their training last? How can the two years of training that regular police officers receive be compensated for with the inadequate training of special guards?;

The communication-based «retraining» programs for specially recruited guards do not provide any solution.

We reiterate our proposals for the complete disarmament of the 4,500 specially recruited guards special guards until they have completed the two-year training that all police officers receive, and the participation of those interested in joining the Hellenic Police in the nationwide examinations so that the government does not have the opportunity to make favoritism-based appointments outside the ASEP.

We await a response to our proposal to set up a cross-party committee to investigate complaints about the activities of far-right pockets and far-right views within the Hellenic Police.

We expect an apology for what SYRIZA-PS was accused of, an apology for the responsibility of those who did what they did two and a half years ago and accepted it today.

From July 2019 to the present day, Greek society has experienced utter insecurity due to the rise in serious crime and, at the same time, terror from the actions of the repressive forces of Mitsotakis's executive state.

We would like to remind you that the imposition of the doctrine of «Law and Order,» for the use of excessive police force, was implemented by the prevalence of far-right views within the Hellenic Police, by «police officers» with inadequate training, who have been involved in incidents that have even led to the death of innocent civilians.

The list of relevant incidents is very long. By way of example, we would like to remind you that:

– On January 27, 2020, a police officer and a special guard were arrested by the Greek Police Anti-Corruption Unit on charges of involvement in drug trafficking and dealing.

– On February 21, 2020, two special guards were involved in an incident outside a nightclub in Gazi, during which one of their weapons discharged.

– On February 27, 2020, an off-duty special guard broke into the Athens University of Economics and Business (formerly ASOEE) and pulled a gun, threatening students.

– On May 29, 2020, a police officer from the DIAS team was arrested for riding an uninsured large-displacement motorcycle with faded license plates and entering a one-way street in the wrong direction when he noticed the presence of police officers from the Chania Traffic Police..

On September 7, 2020, in an official announcement, the Hellenic Police referred to the arrest of a special guard and another private individual who, according to a citizen's complaint, allegedly extorted €40,000 from him after first blackmailing him.

– On October 25, 2020, a family tragedy occurred: A 25-year-old police officer died when the service weapon he was allegedly handling, which belonged to his 21-year-old brother, also a police officer, went off at their home in Perama.

– On January 16, 2021, a special guard was arrested who, according to the indictment, covered up for the perpetrators of the brutal beating of the stationmaster at the Omonia Metro station.

– On June 19, 2021, a police officer, a former special guard who served at the Moschato police station and was assigned to guard the offices of the New Democracy party, was arrested for eleven armed robberies.

– On July 6, 2021, a special guard stationed in Mytilene was involved in a clash between gangs in Agios Evdokimos. The 28-year-old fired his service weapon into the air.

– On October 23, 2021, DIAS teams attempted to pursue a car, despite orders to the contrary from the Operations Center, which resulted in the death of a civilian after a barrage of gunfire by the police officers, who were subsequently arrested.

The decline of Mitsotakis's executive state continues, crime is rampant, and the government refuses to address the major problems in the structure and functioning of the Greek police force.»

Let us recall that on Monday morning, Minister of Citizen Protection Takis Theodorikakos, in the presence of cameras and the Chief of the Hellenic Police, Lieutenant General Michail Karamalakis, announced the launch of the training program for the men and women of the DI.AS. team.

In his statement, Takis Theodorikakos spoke about the important role played by the DIAS team in combating crime, arguing that it also has a «social mission.».

Among other things, he said that during the courses, police officers would «learn about the laws governing police action and be fully informed about the Penal Code» so that «have full knowledge of citizens» rights and techniques for better communication with them as a whole, but also with specific social groups. They will certainly be trained to be even better and more effective in their police duties, in the use of weapons, in their techniques of action, and in the application of the regulations governing the Rapid Response Unit.".

«Our police officers do very hard and complex work for the benefit of society, working to protect and ensure the safety of citizens.’.

He stated that he was «certain that this training will have very positive results and will contribute to the realization of our vision and plan, which is nothing less than a modern, humane, effective, and friendly police force towards citizens and young people, while at the same time being tough, uncompromising, and effective against crime.».