Hellenic Police

The Hellenic Police (Greek: Ελληνική Αστυνομία, Ellinikí Astynomía, abbreviated ΕΛ.ΑΣ.) is the national police service and one of the three security forces of Greece. It is a large agency with responsibilities ranging from road traffic control to counter-terrorism. Police Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios is Chief of the Hellenic Police. He replaced Lazaros Mavropoulos. 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 (Χωροφυλακή, Chorofylakí, 1833-1984) and the Cities Police (Αστυνομία Πόλεων, 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.