Cyprus plans faster disciplinary hearings for minor police offences

Local justicepoliceprisonsTop News Cyprus plans faster disciplinary hearings for minor police offences Astinomia Kataggelies 30 (1) Relevant News Cyprus plans faster disciplinary hearings for minor police offences 8 August 2026 Private polls point to tight presidential race as battle on the right stays wide open 8 August 2026 Police arrest 12 in nationwide overnight operation 8 August 2026 Michalis Hadjivasilis 8 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus is preparing major changes to disciplinary procedures for police officers, including fast-track hearings for minor offences, an immediate right of appeal and mandatory dismissal or compulsory retirement when an officer receives a prison sentence for a criminal offence. The new regulations, drawn up by the police and the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, are intended to speed up disciplinary proceedings, remove disincentives that currently encourage officers to pursue lengthy procedures to preserve appeal rights, and establish a central disciplinary record for officers who have faced proceedings. The draft regulations have already been put out for public consultation. They aim to improve and strengthen disciplinary procedures within Cyprus Police as part of implementing recommendation xxii of the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption, GRECO. Fast-track hearings for minor offences One of the key changes concerns Regulation 25. Under the proposed amendment, specific disciplinary offences deemed less serious could be designated in advance by police order and dealt with under a simpler summary procedure. The relevant Assistant Chief of Police would retain the power to decide that a particular case should instead go through the full disciplinary process because of the seriousness of the offence or the circumstances in which it was committed. Under the summary procedure, the Police Director would inform the officer concerned of the alleged offence and the prima facie case against them, allow them to be heard and then issue a decision. If found guilty, the officer could be fined up to €500 or receive a lesser penalty. If the officer disputes the report or allegation, the case would be referred to the relevant Assistant Chief of Police for investigation under the full disciplinary procedure. Officers to gain right of appeal Regulation 28(1) would also be amended to allow an officer who receives a penalty through the summary procedure to appeal that penalty before the Appeals Board within 14 days of being notified. Under the existing regulations, officers do not have the right to appeal the level of punishment imposed through summary proceedings. As a result, some officers have chosen the full disciplinary process rather than the faster summary procedure so they can retain the right to appeal the severity of the penalty. The proposed amendment is intended to remove that disincentive and encourage use of the summary process for less serious disciplinary offences without restricting the officer’s right to seek a review of the penalty. The regulations would also clarify how appeals are submitted and forwarded. Since amendments introduced in 2015 removed the Chief of Police from the Appeals Board, an appeal would be submitted to the Chief for information before being forwarded to the Appeals Board for examination and a decision. Prison sentence to mean dismissal or compulsory retirement Another significant change would come through an amendment to Regulation 44. It would make dismissal or compulsory retirement mandatory when a police officer is convicted by a court of a criminal offence and receives a prison sentence. Suspended prison sentences would be excluded. The measure is intended to strengthen disciplinary consequences in cases involving serious criminal convictions and ensure that such cases are treated consistently. Criminal proceedings to come before disciplinary action A new Regulation 49A would set out how disciplinary cases should be handled when criminal proceedings are running in parallel. If criminal proceedings are brought against an officer, disciplinary proceedings connected to the criminal case would not be started or continued until the criminal case reaches a conclusion. If an investigating officer has already been appointed and the disciplinary investigation is under way when criminal proceedings are initiated, the investigation would be completed but the case would then remain pending until the criminal process has been finally concluded. The proposed arrangement is intended to avoid counting disciplinary cases as pending during the period in which the corresponding criminal proceedings remain unresolved. It is also aimed at avoiding unnecessary use of working hours in appointing presiding officers and prosecutors who might later need to be replaced because of the lengthy period that can pass before a criminal case is finally determined. Central disciplinary record Police Headquarters would also maintain a disciplinary record covering every charge brought against an officer. The record would include the decision of the presiding officer or committee, as well as the outcome of any appeal or other legal proceedings related to the charge. The aim is to strengthen institutional memory and improve consistency and uniformity in the imposition of disciplinary penalties. Loizides: Changes move in the right direction Nikos Loizides, president of the police branch of the Isotita trade union, said the proposed changes were moving in the right direction. Asked by Phileleftheros to comment on the new regulations, he said: “We as the Isotita union had proposed and requested these changes in writing two years ago, while I had also raised them with both the Chief of Police and the Justice Ministry during our latest meetings. GRECO had submitted something different in its request. Following the protection secured by the Isotita union in 2023 regarding salary scales in relation to the impact of disciplinary penalties, this is the next step.” Loizides said the current burden placed on police officers under investigation for minor disciplinary offences would now change. He added that the Justice Ministry had asked the union to submit its proposals a week ago and that it would respond. “I have to admit that there is not a great distance between us and the final direction they have proposed. A police officer is a worker, but also a European citizen like everyone else, with employment rights,” he said. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Private polls point to tight presidential race as battle on the right stays wide open Police arrest 12 in nationwide overnight operation Yellow warning issued as temperatures hit 40C in Cyprus Paphos monk arrested following murder attempt at monastery Larnaca Airport arrivals road reopens after nearly three years (photos+videos) Thai PM vows new gun law after deadly school shooting Cyprus-Greece ferry link may end in 2027 without State subsidy Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.