The Cyprus police union Isotita has criticised the police force's decision to disclose the profession of a 44-year-old driver involved in a traffic accident in Nicosia who later tested positive for alcohol, arguing that the practice raises legal and privacy concerns.
The reaction came after police announced that the driver, an off-duty special constable, had been suspended on the instructions of Deputy Police Chief Panicos Stavrou pending criminal and disciplinary investigations.
Nicos Loizides, head of the police branch of the Isotita union, said he was surprised that police publicly identified the driver's profession, despite there being no apparent legal obligation to do so.
Speaking to local media, Loizides said the union would have no objection if police were specifically asked to confirm the profession of an individual involved in an incident. However, he questioned whether the same standard would now be applied to all drivers reported for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“The conclusion would therefore be that in every road collision, every positive alcohol test and every positive drug test, the Police Press Office should publish the professions of the drivers involved,” he said.
Loizides also called for clarification of the legal framework governing the disclosure of the professional identities of people who were not on duty at the time an alleged offence was committed.
He drew a distinction between the suspension of a police officer and the publication of that person's occupation, arguing that personal data and service-related information are not always afforded the same level of protection for rank-and-file police officers.
“It is not by chance that our institution is being questioned when documents containing the names of police officers circulate so freely,” he said.
“You do not elevate yourself by exposing and humiliating others,” he added.
Police have not publicly responded to the union's criticism. The criminal and disciplinary investigations into the officer remain ongoing.
