The Hellenic Police (, Ellinikí Astynomía, abbreviated ) is the national police service and one of the three security forces of the Hellenic Republic. It is a large agency with responsibilities ranging from road traffic control to counter-terrorism. Police Lieutenant General Lazaros Mavropoulos currently serves as Chief of the Hellenic Police. He replaced Konstantinos Skoumas. The Hellenic Police force was established in 1984 under Law 1481/1-10-1984 (Government Gazette 152/A/8-10-1984) as the result of the fusion of the Gendarmerie (, Chorofylakí, 1833-1984) and the Cities Police (, Astynomía Póleon, 1921-1984) forces.
According to Law 2800/2000, the Hellenic Police is a security organ whose primary aims are: Ensuring peace and order as well as citizens' unhindered social development, a mission that includes general policing duties and traffic safety. Prevention and suppression of crime as well as protecting the state and its democratic form of government within the framework of the constitutional order, a mission which includes the implementation of public and state security policy. Prevent illegal entry and exit of foreigners in and out of Greece and control of compliance with the provisions related to the entry, exit, residence and work of foreigners in the country, a mission that includes the implementation of foreigners and border protection policy duties. The Hellenic Police is constituted along central and regional lines. The force takes direction from the Minister for Citizen Protection.
Structure
Overview
The Hellenic Police force is headed in a de jure sense by the Minister for Citizen Protection, however, although the Minister sets the general policy direction of Greece's stance towards law and order as a whole, the Chief of Police is the day-to-day head of the force. Underneath the Chief of Police is the Deputy Chief of Police whose role is largely advisory, though in the event of the Chief of Police being unable to assume his duties the Deputy Chief will take over as the interim head. Regular meetings are also held with the Council of Planning and Crisis Management who are drawn from the heads of the main divisions of the police force and raise relevant issues with the Chief of Police him/herself. Underneath the Deputy Chief of Police is the Head of Staff, who, in addition to acting as 'Principal' of the Police Academy, heads the Security and Order Branch, Administrative Support Branch and Economical-Technical and Information Support Branch. Equal in rank to the Head of Staff are the General Inspectors of Southern and Northern Greece, who have under their jurisdiction the regional services of both these divisions. The Security and Order Branch is by far the most important, and includes the General Police Division, the Public Security Division and the State Security Division, among others.
Regional jurisdiction
Greece is divided into two sectors for policing, both headed by an Inspector General. These sectors both contain several regions, headed by an Inspector General.
Northern Greece
East Macedonia and Thrace region
Central Macedonia region
West Macedonia region
Thessaly region
Epirus region
North Aegean region
Southern Greece
Central Greece region
Peloponnese region
West Greece region
Ionian Islands region
South Aegean region
Crete region
Special services
The Hellenic Police force has several special services divisions under the authority of the Chief of Police and working in conjunction with regional and other police sectors where necessary, these are as follows: