Police guards for Cyprus’ VIP politicians – current and former – is now as high as 230 with over 100 in the special squad for the President of the Republic’s security.
Another 130 members of the police force are seconded to the Special Protection Service.
They perform security and escort duties for current and former state officials and other important personalities, such as ambassadors.
Among the 130 members of this service are the 36 police officers who have guard duties for current government officials.
In other words, at least 230 police officers who at one time served in the front line of the police force are now assigned security duties for VIPs.
And this is something that raises eyebrows of police force members and not only. In recent years, a public debate on this is ongoing in view of the fact that duties of police officers have increased amidst the force’s understaffing.
In previous years, there was even a higher level of security of VIPs since police officers were guarding relatives of former officials as well.
In one shocking case, police members who were in charge of guarding a political figure were found in a field picking olives on behalf of the official in question.
