Mr Zacharias Chrysostomou

Former Chief of Cyprus Police Zacharias Chrysostomou is the founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Public, Cyber and National Security of the University of Nicosia.

Mr Chrysostomou joined the Cyprus Police in 1986. During his 33- year career in law enforcement he served as a front-line officer as well as in mid and upper-level ranks in various departments. These include: The Criminal Investigation Department, Traffic Department, Prosecution, Cyprus Information (Intelligence) Service, Counter Terrorism Bureau, the Bureau for Combatting Hooliganism, as Deputy Director of the Research and Development Department, Deputy Police Commander of Famagusta Divisional Headquarters, Director of the EU, and International Police Cooperation Directorate and as Director of the Cyprus Police Academy.

Between 2003 and 2007, whilst serving at the EU and International Police Cooperation Directorate, Mr Chrysostomou was the representative of Cyprus at the Police Cooperation Working Group, as well as the Counter Terrorism Working Group of the Council of the EU.

During the same period, he participated as a National Expert in the Evaluation Committees of the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU for the evaluation of several member states in the areas of Counter Terrorism and Police Cooperation.

In 2004, Mr. Chrysostomou received an award for his contribution in the Cyprus Police’s efforts to meet the standards of Chapter 24 (Justice and Home Affairs) for the country’s membership to the European Union.

Mr. Chrysostomou was appointed as Cyprus’ Voting Member on the Management Board of CEPOL, the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training between 2007 and 2014. In 2006, he also served as the Cyprus Representative on the Governing Board of EUROPOL, appointed by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus.

During the EU Cyprus Presidency in 2012 he Chaired CEPOL Management Board.

Whilst serving as the Director of Cyprus Police Academy, he proposed and spearheaded the establishment of a bachelor’s degree in Police Studies for graduates of the Police Academy who may wish to continue with a two-year distance learning programme to earn a degree in the field of Policing from the Open University of Cyprus.

Zacharias Chrysostomou was appointed Chief of Cyprus Police in March 2014 by the President of the Republic of Cyprus. During his tenure as Chief (03/2014-05/2019), he initiated the reform of the criteria for recruitment of constables as well as the reform of training and education of members of all ranks, adopting a holistic andragogic approach with partial training at the Cyprus Police Academy, the University of Cyprus and at the workplace.

Furthermore, he initiated evidence-based policing, intelligence-led policing, and smart policing, whereas emphasis was given to community policing, bringing the number of volunteer neighbourhood watchers from 13,000 in 2013 to 105,000 by 2018.  He also initiated the establishment of an Internal Affairs Unit for combating police corruption in 2018. In that same vein, he initiated the reform of the organization for the first time since 1960. The relevant procedures began in 2018.

Academic Posts

Mr. Chrysostomou has been a part-time Lecturer at the University of Nicosia in Psychology and an Honorary Lecturer with the University of Portsmouth, U.K. In addition, he has served on the Academic Council of the Open University of Cyprus (2012 – 2014) for the bachelor’s degree in Police Studies. As from 2021 he is a lecturer of Criminology at the School of Law of UNIC.

Education

Former Chief Chrysostomou holds a bachelor’s degree (Summa Cum Laude), in Psychology from the University of Nicosia, a master’s degree (with Merit) in Criminology and Criminal Psychology from the University of Portsmouth, U.K. and a Certificate in Criminal Justice Studies from the University of Virginia, U.S.A. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 201st Session.