What tests must a police officer undergo before being issued a firearm? These questions have come to the forefront following the attempted femicide that took place on Tuesday morning in Zakaki, when a police officer shot his wife and then took his own life.

Read also: Critical hours for the 46-year-old woman: What investigators are looking for in the police officer’s cell phones and his final movements

From the studio of the “Alpha Kalimera” show, Nikos Loizidis, President of the Police Force Branch and Spokesperson for the “ISOTITAS” Board of Directors, explained the broader context, breaking it down into two sections.

Regarding recruitment—that is, before a person is hired by the police—based on the regulation passed in 2016, they undergo psychometric testing.

“A personality test is also administered; the assessment of behavior and personality profile reveals psychological characteristics such as composure, decision-making under pressure, as well as stress management through various questionnaires. This is all part of the psychometric testing.”

He states that he did not take this test because the procedure was only instituted after 2016, whereas previously only an evaluation by a psychiatrist was required.

“Psychometric tests don’t reveal 100% of a person’s personality—whether at the moment they’re taken or over a specific period—but that doesn’t mean there’s no margin for error.”

He notes that a stressful period of work follows hiring. After recruitment, there is no provision for regular psychological re-evaluation, only a review of the ability to handle a firearm every five years.

Under Police Regulation 416, there is a certificate of competence for the possession and use of firearms, with Mr. Loizidis explaining that training lasts for five years. In other words, the certificate is suspended if someone fails the reevaluation. An individual will be called for reevaluation either at the end of five years, or following any medical report that may affect their ability to aim, or following a report from the officer’s supervisor.

Mr. Loizidis emphasizes that although there is a human resources support unit (Provision 418) staffed by psychologists, accessing it was difficult due to a lack of confidentiality in communication procedures. He notes that on June 22, Police Headquarters, following pressure from the “Equality” union, issued a new communication protocol with direct phone numbers to psychologists, ensuring confidentiality and the possibility of sessions outside police facilities.

Mr. Loizidis criticized the evaluation method, noting that candidates are often judged based on the average score of the group in which they are tested, which he considers incorrect.

The Three Categories of Firearm Carry

Police Regulation 526 defines three different ways in which a police officer may carry a service weapon.

Temporary Issuance: Applies to officers who are issued a weapon only for the duration of their shift.

Permanent Issuance: Applies to front-line units (e.g., MMA), where officers keep their firearms at home upon approval by the Chief of Police.

Personal Security: 24-hour possession of a service weapon approved by the Chief of Police in cases where there are documented threats to the officer’s life due to their service.

In his own statement, former Deputy Police Chief Dimitris Dimitriou emphasizes that the use of a service weapon is a last resort and is permitted only when it is “absolutely necessary” and only after all less severe measures have been exhausted.

Mr. Dimitriou noted that psychometric tests were introduced in 2016 primarily as a tool for filtering out the “brightest minds” from among thousands of candidates, and not necessarily for the ongoing assessment of psychological fitness.

“Through psychometric tests, you select the bright minds. Specifically, you have new positions in the police force—300 positions—and 7,000 candidates. The reason these psychometric tests were introduced is so that you can select 300 out of 7,000—to narrow down the number of candidates to the level you need in order to make a selection. So you select the brightest minds using psychometric tests.”

Mr. Dimitriou argues that the reason a medical certificate isn’t required is because the police chief, the very person who grants the license, has his own assessment of the individual and, if he notices anything, can refer them for an evaluation.

Mr. Loizidis argued that it is impossible for a police chief to be aware of the mental state of every officer on a daily basis. He proposed that police officers undergo an interview with psychologists at the same time they renew their firearms certification.

He pointed out that Greece ranks fifth worldwide in terms of the ratio of gun ownership to population. Finally, there was a strong reaction to statements that spouses of police officers are afraid to report domestic violence, with Mr. Loizidis calling for specific evidence to be presented and emphasizing that domestic violence units make no exceptions for any profession.