"Red button" for courier protection proposed by Justice Minister Phytíris
Justice Minister Kostas Phytíris has proposed a system for immediate police notification of attacks on delivery couriers. He assesses the motives as robbery-related rather than racist.
Phytíris: "Red button" for couriers – "Robberies, not racism"
A system for immediate police notification via a "red button" was proposed to distribution platform companies by Justice and Public Order Minister Kostas Phytíris, according to Philenews.
The Minister commented on Thursday at the margin of a meeting with officials from the Ministry, Police, Prisons, and Fire Service when asked about attacks against delivery couriers. After a consultation with companies that manage the platforms, he said: "we have established that there are also independent couriers who carry considerable amounts of cash on them". He assessed that "most of the time it is a matter of robbery rather than racist motives".
Regarding the implementation of the measure, Phytíris clarified that some time is required and it requires the agreement of the companies. "The courier presses this button and the police are able to respond in minimal time", he said, adding that an essential prerequisite is "timely notification from the victims". He emphasised that it is not feasible to have a police officer everywhere.
When asked about a possible connection between the attacks and drug trafficking, the Minister stated that the issue is being investigated. He noted that a great many arrests have been made recently, to the extent that "we do not know where to place the detainees".
"Arrests have been made, criminal networks have been dismantled, others are being created, whether individually or organised, but our job is to pursue them continuously", Phytíris said.
In response to a question about possible involvement of couriers in these networks, the Minister acknowledged that some may be operating as "tools" of an organised network. "Our role is to pursue from the tools to the head", he concluded.
Source: Philenews