Will Cyprus ever see a female police chief?
August 3, 2026
Since the establishment of the Cyprus Police in 1964, women have served within the force, yet no woman has ever held the positions of chief, deputy chief, or assistant chief of police. Current figures show that women comprise approximately 28% of all police officers in Cyprus, with their distribution varying by rank: they make up 30% of constables and special constables, 21% of sergeants, 12% of officers, and 13% of senior officers.
In comparison to Cyprus, other European nations have female leadership in their police services. Official statistics from England and Wales indicate that women make up 36.1% of police officers, the highest proportion recorded, with approximately 40% of chief constables being women. Furthermore, the national police service in Sweden is currently led by National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh.
Within Cyprus, women have held public leadership roles, such as the current House president, Annita Demetriou, although they remain under-represented in the House with 11 women among 56 members. While some women may decline senior roles due to the demands of the position, the absence of female leadership at the top of the police force has persisted for over 60 years. Career progression in the force relies on factors such as mobility, operational credibility, and visibility, which may advantage those fitting a traditional model of an always-available officer while placing constraints on others.
To read the full story, see here
August 3, 2026
Will Cyprus ever see a female police chief?
August 3, 2026
Since the establishment of the Cyprus Police in 1964, women have served within the force, yet no woman has ever held the positions of chief, deputy chief, or assistant chief of police. Current figures show that women comprise approximately 28% of all police officers in Cyprus, with their distribution varying by rank: they make up 30% of constables and special constables, 21% of sergeants, 12% of officers, and 13% of senior officers.
In comparison to Cyprus, other European nations have female leadership in their police services. Official statistics from England and Wales indicate that women make up 36.1% of police officers, the highest proportion recorded, with approximately 40% of chief constables being women. Furthermore, the national police service in Sweden is currently led by National Police Commissioner Petra Lundh.
Within Cyprus, women have held public leadership roles, such as the current House president, Annita Demetriou, although they remain under-represented in the House with 11 women among 56 members. While some women may decline senior roles due to the demands of the position, the absence of female leadership at the top of the police force has persisted for over 60 years. Career progression in the force relies on factors such as mobility, operational credibility, and visibility, which may advantage those fitting a traditional model of an always-available officer while placing constraints on others.
To read the full story, see here
