Riot Police in Lefkimmi complain about ΄galley conditions΄
riot police
10 Jul 2018
/ 16:54
Statement from Athens Police Union: ΄Unfortunately we΄re at zero point!!΄
Union Statement
Subject: Lefkimmi landfill - Are we going to have to bear the brunt once again?
Athens police personnel are still subject to 'galley' conditions. Head Office took the incomprehensible decision to send four squads to Corfu to assist in the police operation at Lefkimmi landfill.
In the ten days that this operation has been running, our union has received countless complaints from colleagues who have been sent to Corfu:
- Problems with accommodation and food. There have been some cases where colleagues have had to change hotels every two days as those in charge didn't take into account that it is the middle of the tourist season and the island's hotels can't provide the necessary accommodation.
- Work problems. Personnel have to work 12 hours daily due to the distance between their accommodation and the work location (at least 45 minutes).
- Athens personnel are the only ones in Greece who don't work night shifts - only morning and evening and without being allowed the regulation daily rest periods. This puts an extra burden on the local officers as well as the officers from Athens who came to head up the operation.
- Complaints from colleagues of being treated in a demeaning manner by officers which, if they are confirmed, will be passed on to the Police Authorities with the names of those involved. A characteristic example of what our colleagues have to put up with can be seen in last night's incidents outside the local police station where they were attacked by a group of people. Not only did they stop the attack but they also made arrests. However, instead of being congratulated, they were reprimanded by their superior, who probably didn't want to aggravate the situation.
- The local authority has broken up the group into pairs, thus losing the advantage of being a specially trained group to handle criminal activity - without a vehicle and just covering weak points.
Subject: Lefkimmi landfill - Are we going to have to bear the brunt once again?
Athens police personnel are still subject to 'galley' conditions. Head Office took the incomprehensible decision to send four squads to Corfu to assist in the police operation at Lefkimmi landfill.
In the ten days that this operation has been running, our union has received countless complaints from colleagues who have been sent to Corfu:
- Problems with accommodation and food. There have been some cases where colleagues have had to change hotels every two days as those in charge didn't take into account that it is the middle of the tourist season and the island's hotels can't provide the necessary accommodation.
- Work problems. Personnel have to work 12 hours daily due to the distance between their accommodation and the work location (at least 45 minutes).
- Athens personnel are the only ones in Greece who don't work night shifts - only morning and evening and without being allowed the regulation daily rest periods. This puts an extra burden on the local officers as well as the officers from Athens who came to head up the operation.
- Complaints from colleagues of being treated in a demeaning manner by officers which, if they are confirmed, will be passed on to the Police Authorities with the names of those involved. A characteristic example of what our colleagues have to put up with can be seen in last night's incidents outside the local police station where they were attacked by a group of people. Not only did they stop the attack but they also made arrests. However, instead of being congratulated, they were reprimanded by their superior, who probably didn't want to aggravate the situation.
- The local authority has broken up the group into pairs, thus losing the advantage of being a specially trained group to handle criminal activity - without a vehicle and just covering weak points.
To the above-mentioned we can also add the conditions in Athens.
The only solution is mobilization
If the situation continues, then we will request the assistance of the Hellenic Federation of Police Personnel to go to Corfu to provide support and legal assistance to our colleagues.
President
Dimosthenis Pakos
General Secretary
Nikolaos Rigas
