Personnel Support Office

The Personnel Support Office was established on the 10th of July 2013, within the framework of the implementation of the policies and plans that have been initiated by the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, with the aim of further upgrading and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Cyprus Police, as derived from the Governance Program of the President of the Republic of Cyprus and its Policy in the field of Security.

The mission of the Personnel Support Office is to promote mental health among the members of Cyprus Police. In order to achieve its mission, the Office organizes trainings and preventative programs, and arranges private sessions, for mental health assessment and emotional diffusion. It must be noted that the content of the personal meetings is bounded by confidentiality and no reference is made either in the personal record of the member visiting the Office.

The Cyprus Police personnel, carry out a wide and varied range of duties. Due to the nature of their mission, police members and firefighters are subjected to various forms of danger which pose both physical and psychological threats. Thus, there was an imperative need for establishing a framework for mental health issues for the members of the Cyprus Police.

According to Police Order 4/18, the content of a confidential personal meeting can only be revealed if there is real risk for the member, if there is real risk for third parties, and, if there is reasonable suspicion regarding abuse of the minors, the elderly, the disabled or other vulnerable groups.

Within the framework of carrying out its duties, the Office cooperates with various mental health and academic institutions in Cyprus. In addition, the members of the Office cooperate with experts who specialize in specific areas of psychology for the organizing and presenting educational and preventive programs.

Currently, the Personnel Support Office is located at the Cyprus Police Academy and operates daily, Monday – Tuesday from 07:00 – 1500, and Wednesday – Friday from 07:00 – 14:30. Under special circumstances, sessions with police members can be arranged past office hours. The members of the Personnel Support Office visit all Districts, where they arrange sessions with police members, at non-Police facilities.

For further information, police members may contact the Office at telephone numbers 22808215, 22808220, and 96500826 or via email on: personnelsupport@police.gov.cy.