WAYS IN which to improve police performance and how best to go about reinstating public faith in the force following the blow it has taken over the escape of convicted double rapist and murderer Antonis Prokopiou Kitas were yesterday addressed at the Presidential Palace.
The meeting was attended by Justice Minister Loucas Louca, Attorney-general Petros Clerides, Deputy Attorney-general Akis Papasavvas, Police Chief Iacovos Papacostas and Deputy Police Chief Michalis Papageorgiou. It was a continuation of last week’s meeting to discuss the situation within the police force that was revealed over the Kitas escape debacle. A third and final meeting will be held next week. These are independent of the ongoing criminal investigation, Government Spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters following the meeting’s conclusion, Stefanou remained tight-lipped about what had been discussed so as to avoid feeding rumours.
“These meetings aim to deal with the entire situation which has been revealed by the Antonis Prokopiou Kitas case and to take measures so that the police force improves its effectiveness and to strengthen citizens’ feeling of safety,” Stefanou said.
During the meeting, President Demetris Christofias reportedly gave Louca and Papacostas set guidelines about how to go about reinstating the police’s authority.
Christofias is thought to want results and the restructuring of the police force is expected to tie in with the criminal investigators’ findings so as to avoid similar future incidents in the future.
Opposition DISY yesterday suggested the Police Chief lead by example by voluntarily giving criminal investigators a statement regarding the escape of convicted killer Antonis Prokopiou Kitas, alias Al Capone.
“We call on the police chief to ask to give a statement to criminal investigators, in other words to go to them to give a statement and not just to discuss the issue,” said DISY deputy Ionas Nicolaou.
Nicolaou also said all “rotten apples” should be ousted from the police force.
“The police needs to be safeguarded, its members must be protected,” he said.
“That’s why the police leadership needs to send out a real message of co-operating with the criminal investigators.”
Nicolaou said Iacovos Papacostas should also hand over all documents and events the police had in its possession referring to the period before and after Kitas’ December 12 escape from a private Nicosia hospital.
“This will send out a clear message to everyone, police and citizens, that the police has nothing to hide, that it actively supports the full and thorough investigation of this case and that any obstacles that arise during the course of the investigation must be overcome,” he said.
