Chania Calls for Tourist Police on Bicycles

The tourism sector of the Chania prefecture recently requested additional policing, advanced services of tourist police and the set up of new police stations in tourist areas.

Among their requests to the general police director of Crete was the reinstatement of police patrolling on bicycles within the old city and the Venetian port of Chania. According to the tourism professionals: “this was a very successful and effective measure, which offered peacefulness and security throughout the prefecture.”

Also demanded were patrols in tourist areas of the north road (Platanias, Agia Marina, Kolymbari, Georgioupoli) to strengthen the sense of security in tourist areas. Tourism businesses argue that these areas are plagued by criminal activity and constantly slander the prefecture’s tourism image.

In addition, they requested the cooperation of Crete’s police department on various issues such as the clampdown of illegal hotels and customer ‘shopping’ at ports. Other problems include illegal parking at Chania’s International Airport I. Daskalogiannis and at Souda port.