“We are here to fight crime. Yesterday, an innovation was announced. OR Police is moving into a new era. The Organized Crime Countering Service was established. Greece is moving into a new era in the fight against crime and we will thus be able to effectively and decisively deal a further strong blow to thugs, murderers, smugglers, extortionists and all those who systematically, with criminal groups, violate social contract”.

This was emphasized, among other things, in statements made today in Patras by the Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidiswhere he had a meeting with Police officers from the three prefectures of the Region of Western Greece.

As he added, “in the next period of time we will deliver even more decisive and crucial blows to organized crime, which affects the Republic itself, affects human lives, but also affects the economy, because it tries to enter the official economy through gray or black methods”.

At the same time, he noted that “we are here, focused on our goal, to reduce everyday crime and to be very close to the citizens, but also to deal strong blows against cruel and serious crime and of course we will continue the actions of social policing”.

Furthermore, he said that “the issues of social policing currently dominate the actions of the Police, which carries out a hugely important, human and social work” and continued: “Thousands of lives are saved every day from the actions of the Police and we will become more effective with the changes and additions we make to the Law and the rules of the Criminal Code, so that the sentences of the courts are more effective”.

Referring to domestic violence, Michalis Chrysochoidis said that “in the context of social policing, the Police in Western Greece saves dozens of women’s lives every day who are attempted to be abused” and continued: “Mouts have been opened, complaints have multiplied and I am really very happy that every day the Police are arresting abusers and confiscating weapons, in order to save the lives of women and children. We will continue our effort, we will apply even stricter provisions regarding abusers and let everyone be aware that no one will go unpunished, because this case is a shame for society and it must end.”

At the same time, the Minister of Citizen Protection emphasized that “the increase in incidents is approximately 170%, which means that mouths have opened, even from communities of people who did not talk about these issues, and I can say that this is very encouraging” .

“The same applies”, as he added, “and with the violence of minors”, adding: “The security services are doing an amazing job. There is an office for minors in Patras and three more offices will be created next week, i.e. in the other three Police Directorates, in Messolonghi, Agrinio and Pyrgos. Now there will be a responsible officer in the Security, who will deal exclusively with the violence of minors”.

He also said that “for three months we have established the new line, the new five-digit number 10201” and continued: “Any parent, minor, citizen, third party wants to report anything that happens or perceives that it may happen soon or that in a square gather underage children who systematically show delinquency, there are trained police officers, who are apprehended. In a few days we will have a new application, “Safe Youth”, which is the “panic button” for minors, who at any time, at any time of the day, in any part of the country, by pressing this button on our mobile , there will be an immediate response from a police service, which will respond and at the same time intervene if necessary. Also, by the end of the year we will have introduced new legislation, which we presented to the cabinet, to toughen the penalties for the possession of knives, pocket knives, killer knives in general, by classifying dangerous knives as dangerous weapons and banning them from circulation. Also, the penalties for the possession and carrying of weapons and the use of weapons are greatly increased, so that it works as a deterrent.” At the same time, Michalis Chrysochoidis emphasized that “I believe, because the issue of violence against minors is not a police issue, but a deeply serious social issue that concerns the family first and foremost, the parents even more, the school, our society as a whole, must let’s all work together to convey to our children the spirit of social coexistence and peace, the spirit of democracy and the social contract, in order to minimize these incidents” and added: “What is needed is for parents to realize that they have a responsibility and also all together to create a peaceful school and social environment, so that the few children who are delinquent are treated in the context of a society that knows, can and should treat delinquents”.

Speaking about crime in the Region of Western Greece, the Minister of Citizen Protection emphasized that “we are fighting crime with good results” and added: “We will continue, because we are not just satisfied with the results, but we want the services to become more effective in both petty crime and serious crime, so that citizens really feel that they live in a peaceful, democratic, free and safe environment”.

Responding to a journalist’s question about whether there is concern about a possible increase in immigration flows to Patras, due to the war in the Middle East, Michalis Chrysochoidis emphasized: “Our borders are very safe, the borders for which we are responsible in Evros they are inviolable. An amazing job has been done since 2019 and every citizen can see that with the surveillance systems that have been added since 2019, with the security systems that we have at the border, with the multiple staff that we have hired and we are hiring another 150 border guards in next days, as well as with the fence of many kilometers which we have built and will continue”.

“I assure you that Evros is inviolable”, repeated the Minister of Citizen Protection and added: “There is also the sea, where the Coast Guard is fighting there. It doesn’t seem like anything to worry about at the moment, but at the same time we have to be vigilant, to constantly guard our borders, because we are on the front line of the West and we have to be alert.”

In the meantime, Michalis Chrysochoidis announced the reinforcement of Achaia with police officers, as its staff, he stressed, “took on a significant load in the policing of the islands last summer, with very good results”. Specifically, he stated that “we will strengthen Achaia in the upcoming transfers because it needs it, because it is a large region with economic development and Ilia which also needs staff and we will be present every day, so that there is an answer for every need”.

Regarding the new police station of Patras, he said that “procedures are proceeding, with the consent of the Municipality of Patras, Kostas Peletidis”. The municipal authority, as Mr. Chrysochoidis said, “has requested the execution of local traffic regulation projects, for which various possible sources of funding are being investigated, so that the operation of the police station and the operation of the city in general can be coordinated with each other”.