Crime Prevention Office - Community Policing

The Ministry of Justice and Public Order and the Chief of Police, in seeking the most efficient ways of dealing with crime and due the importance of the citizens’ participation in the fight against crime, came to a decision to implement the Community Policing Program.

Community Policing was implemented to protect neighborhoods through various preventive measures, develop a feeling of security amongst the public, increase communication and improve relations with the public with a final goal to achieve crime reduction through prevention.

Over time, the Community Policing program has been implemented, mainly through the adoption of the following programs:

(1) Community Police Officer

(2) Bicycle Patrol Police Officer

(3) Animal Control Police Officer

(4) Neighborhood Watch

COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICER

The Community Police Officer program began in October 2003 with 27 Police Officers and due to its effectiveness, the number of personnel increased to 81 Police Officers, serving a population of about 720,000 and covering 178 communities (urban & rural) at a national level.

The Community Police Officer’s duties include foot patrols, car patrols, giving door to door information and advice on safety issues and other police issues of personal concern to citizens, attending community meetings, giving presentations and lectures to the community (schools, shops, businesses) and most of all, maintaining a visible presence, in order to restore the public’s sense of security and build trust and confidence in the Police.

A whole range of other duties of social, charitable and voluntary character is also amongst the duties of a Community Police Officer. For example, the CPOs take part or organize events like fairs for children, blood donations, visits to nursing homes, community meetings as well as celebrating national holidays within the community.

Community Police Officers are members of the Police who have all the powers of a Police Officer, including arresting criminals and carrying a gun. They are under the jurisdiction of the Local Police District and are members of the Local Police Station. Their duties are carried out in uniform with specific badges to distinguish from the ordinary Police.

BICYCLE PATROL POLICE OFFICER

In 2017, the Bicycle Police was implemented as an additional component of Community Policing. This was done in four coastal cities, with 24 members of the Cyprus Police who patrol the coastal front of Larnaca, Famagusta, Limassol and Paphos.

The reason for adopting bicycle policing was again to prevent crime and enable Police Officers to come closer to citizens, be more mobile and reach areas that are not accessible by car or motorbike. Also, these Police Officers can more easily gather information and detect, serious offences, like radicalization and Trafficking in Human Beings.

Another goal of the Bicycle Police is to serve the tourist population and to deal with non-policing incidents (minor issues) as well as to serve as first respondents to more serious incidents, until the Police Units arrive at the scene.

ANIMAL CONTROL POLICE OFFICER

The Animal Control Police Section was established in May 2021, with the placement of 16 Police Officers covering all communities at a national level.

Their main task is to investigate cases of abuse and mistreatment of animals, based on the Protection & Welfare Animal Law of 1994 and the Dogs Law of 2002, as well as to cooperate and provide assistance, if required, to the Community Police Officers, Local Veterinary Services and others.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

At the beginning of 2011, the “Neighborhood Watch” Program was implemented on a pilot basis in two areas of the Republic. This initiative is based on the work of volunteers in the community and with the close cooperation between the Neighborhood Watch members, the Local Neighborhood Police Officers, the local Police Station and Local Authorities.

Due to the fact that the goals of the program, (raising awareness among the public, enhancement of the cooperation between the public and the police, reduction in criminality and the increase of the sense of security among the public) have been met with considerable success, it has been extended to 341 communities (rural & urban) with approximately, 118,000 volunteers. The final goal is to implement this scheme to all populated areas of the Republic.

The Cyprus Police stresses the fact that, without the cooperation of the public, any measures it takes will not be enough to achieve the desired results of an effective prevention of crime.

Therefore, in the context of our efforts to prevent crime, we seek a close cooperation with citizens, because we believe that cooperation is essential for crime prevention as it is not the sole responsibility of the police but everyone's business.