Posting on the results of the actions of the Hellenic Police Services, to protect minors by Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrysochoidis.

“The safety of our children is at the heart of the new Police Philosophy,” Mr. Chrysochoidis stressed, presenting data on the delinquency of minors and the actions of ELAS.

In detail, the Minister states:

“Good evening and good week.

Today I will talk to you about a topic that concerns us all and especially parents. For the actions of the Greek Police to protect minors, the safety of our children.

Since January 2024, when the prime minister again entrusted me with the responsibility of the Ministry of Citizen Protection, I have made the protection of minors as a top priority. The safety of our children is, after all, in the heart of the new philosophy of police: social policing.

Unfortunately, for many years, this issue had been lost in the general actions of citizens ‘protection, with specialized interventions, such as the establishment of five minors’ protection offices in cities in the country, being an exception. But as the treatment of domestic violence, the protection of minors requires specialized management, continuous adaptation and strengthening of our policies and tools.

In this context, the Greek Police also moved by January 2024building a new business philosophy of minors from the beginning.

Her main axes were:

A) the patrols of mild policingwith young and young police, in places where there was a large gathering of children and in the past there were incidents or incidents of violence and violations. In Glyfada, Piraeus, Kifissia, Maroussi, Peristeri, Alimos, Syntagma, Omonia, Monastiraki, and in all the prefectures of the country, police came into contact with more than 194,000 children and parents. They heard their concerns, explained the role of the police and how its services can protect them and presented new tools, such as 10201 and Safe.youth, to which I will mention shortly thereafter. I also found myself, many times, in Attica squares with the police and talked to the children.

However, these actions, in addition to prevention and raising awareness, also have the nature of deterrence and/ or the treatment of violent or other abusive energy, if needed. For this reason, there were often episodes designed online and 1,489 arrests for theft or other abusive actions were made.

B) We created two new tools, one telephone – the 10.and an application, the Safe.youthin order to enable citizens, parents and children to communicate easily, immediately and with a single point for any minors. 10201 is a 24 -hour nationwide telephone line, which is supported by specialized staff of the Attica Minority Protection Directorate, which manages, accordingly, any complaint. Safe.youth informs about the dangers, but also about the potential for the protection provided by the police, while giving our children the opportunity to seek help with the press of a button, the Emergency Button.

(C) At each Police Directorate, an officer was appointed to coordinate all the protection actions of minors.

To get the overall picture:

In 2024 we had 10,968 cases of delinquency and violence of minors, with 14,956 minor perpetrators, while in 2023 we had 7,789 cases with 10,150, so an increase of 40.81% and 43.80% respectively.

However, This does not necessarily mean that violence increased. Police, as well as state bodies in general, were more mobilized. For example, through the gentle police actions, police went to the children to protect them, which led to the management of more than 1,500 cases that emerged. The cases I have mentioned do not include, after all, only incidents of violence – in fact these are the least – but in general the abusive behavior of minors.

Indicative:

  • 4,774 cases concern KOK violations, but which is extremely important, because we cannot lose other lives on the streets.
  • 2,032 cases, the second largest category, concerns crimes in ownership by minors who committed theft, burglaries, robberies.
  • 935 cases concern addictive substances and mainly drugs, a significant risk for our young people.
  • 685 cases concern the causing of physical injury from various forms of violence, with the involvement of 1,077 minors and finally, 414 cases of weapons, from 492 minors.

One of the most important issues, for me were the assumptions neglect of supervision of minors. From 1,242 in 2023 to 2,163 in 2024, 74%increase.

I have left for the end the information actions of the services of the Greek Police, which, however, are the heart of our young people’s prevention and durability over all forms of violence.

2.942 Lectures in Primary and Secondary Schools nationwide, attended by 216,792 children, teachers, parents and citizens and 380 other events attended by 46,520 citizens.

But we never complain, because we don’t want any child to feel only. The next period will be voted on our bill, which includes specific measures for the weapon and, above all, bans and strict conditions for various knife categories used by minors, as weapons. The Greek Police, according to the new law of the Ministry of Health to address the sale alcohol Minors will become a body to control the legislation, and new initiatives will run to strengthen our children’s protection grid.

On this page you will find information and instructions for Safe.youth https://www.safeyouth.gov.gr

Download you and your children. Can save lives.

PS. Last Wednesday, with the Mayor of Ilios Andriana Alevizou – Koukouvinou and His Eminence Metropolitan of Ilios, Acharnes and Petroupoli, Mr. Athinagoras, in a crowded room with parents, teachers and children, we discussed We will continue in this direction. ”