No. 268

Police officers in Greece to be hired out to protect businesses and the rich

The term public servant has taken on a whole new meaning in Greece as the government is adopting a new plan beginning on April 8th where businesses and private citizens can rent the police force to perform services such as transport and personal security.

Proceeds from these private hirings will go directly to state coffers, and officers will receive no additional benefits for services performed outside the public domain.

"By decision of the Ministries of Finance and Citizen Protection, the entire workforce of the Greek Police, all vehicles and motorcycles and even helicopters is held by the Police, can now be rented by individuals who want be safe and sleep soundly at night.

Officers leased out for rent from those who can afford it of course, will be removed from the forces that protect other ordinary mortals.

And anyone who thinks that all this cannot happen, only have to call upon the Government Gazette, which published a few days ago a rental price list of the service, with Prices starting at 30 Euros an hour for a single police car, and up to 1,500 Euros if you want to rent a helicopter from the Police."

While Greece is just now experiencing the consequences of their years of growing debt, the situation throughout the Eurozone will only get worse before it gets better. Just one moth after the EU agreed upon a bailout of Greek debts, the government is finding it more difficult to find monies to provide even basic services to its citizens.

With this new process created by the Greek government to hire out police offers to help fund their budget coffers, the term public servant is taking on a whole new meaning in the way governments choose to use their human resources.

Read more |  Examiner, 10.04.12

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