High speed chase in Nicosia sparks debate on police protocols

Police protocols are under scrutiny after they gave chase to a young man who is accused of recklessly speeding through the capital on his motorbike, endangering lives, and was seriously injured during the chase.

The man’s mother, who lives in Britain but is due to arrive in Cyprus, has questioned why the police pursued him instead of proceeding with an arrest at a later point.

She is now calling on the authorities to intervene as she wishes to take her son back to the UK – he has been hospitalised for multiple fractures – but is currently on a stop-list as he is facing court summons.

The incident occurred on Thursday along Athalassa avenue when police were called to intervene as the young motorbike driver was accused of dangerous and reckless driving.

Police officials told Phileleftheros that there are protocols according to which officers will give chase. The main criterion is whether or not the lives of others are in immediate danger as a result of the reckless driving.

They said such a risk was clear given that the man had sped across a pedestrian crossing when school children attempted to cross.

The police also accused the man of failing to stop on three separate occasions when clearly signaled to do so, instead continuing to violate a series of traffic codes.

The chase then continued onto the Nicosia-Limassol highway and came to an end as the driver crashed into a car at the Pera Choriou Nisou exit.

The young man was injured and taken to Nicosia general hospital by ambulance.

Police found him to be in possession of an unspecified amount of drugs and a cannabis grinder.