Greece has entered a new era in fighting crime with the founding a day ago of the Service to Counter Organized Crime, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chryssochoidis said in Patras on Friday.
During a meeting with Greek police officers from three prefectures of the Region of Western Greece, he said, "We are here, committed to fighting crime. Yesterday, an innovation was announced. The police enters a new era. The Service to Counter Organized Crime was founded. Greece enteres a new era in fighting crime and we will thus deliver decisively and effectively a further strong crime to henchmen, murderers, smugglers, blackmailers, and all those who violate the social contract systematically with criminal rings."
The minister said that the focus right now is on social policing, from domestic violence, the incidence of which has risen by nearly 170%, to juvenile violence. For the latter, a department for juveniles has opened in Patras and three more departments are to be founded in Missolonghi, Agrinio, and Pyrgos. A police officer will be dedicated to cases of juvenile violence at each department, he added. In addition, a new telephone line (10201) has been in operation the last three months for anyone who observes signs of potential violence among young people and wants to alert police. In a few days, the 'Safe Youth' app will be introduced, with a 'panic button' for young people who are under threat to alert the police at any time of day or night in Greece, Chryssochoidis revealed.