Eleftherios Oikonomou
Encyclopedia
Eleftherios Oikonomou is the current Chief of the Hellenic Police. He holds the rank of Police Lt General.
He was born in 1956 in the small town of Konitsa
, in Epirus
. In 1974, he was hired by the Greek Gendarmerie
(merged with the Cities Police
to form today's Hellenic Police in 1984) and graduated from the Officers Academy; Oikonomou subsequently served for many years in the elite State Security Division (Διεύθυνση Κρατικής Ασφάλειας), responsible for protecting Greece's democratic form of government
In 2001, he was appointed as the first Press Spokesman of the Police and the Ministry of Public Order, responsible for the Police's overall media strategy, a post he held until 2006; Early during his tenure, the police managed to destroy the Revolutionary Organization 17 November
terrorist group, propelling Oikonomou to nation-wide prominence.
As a Police Brigadier General
he served as head of the Attica Aliens Directorate and First Deputy Director of the Attica Security Sub-Directorate until March 2008. Promoted to Major General
, he was placed in charge of the Police VIP security directorate. On 3 March 2009 he was promoted to Lieutenant General
and placed as Inspector General for Southern Greece, while on 5 November 2009 he was named Chief of the Hellenic Police.
He is married and has one daughter.
He was born in 1956 in the small town of Konitsa
Konitsa
Konitsa is a town in Epirus, Greece, near the Albanian border. It lies amphi-theatre shaped on a mountain slope of the Pindos mountain range, overlooking the valley where the river Aoos meets the river Voidomatis. The valley is used for farming. Konitsa is a regional centre for many small Pindos...
, in Epirus
Epirus (periphery)
Epirus , formally the Epirus Region , is a geographical and administrative region in northwestern Greece. It borders the regions of West Macedonia and Thessaly to the east, West Greece to the south, the Ionian Sea and the Ionian Islands to the west and the country of Albania to the north. The...
. In 1974, he was hired by the Greek Gendarmerie
Greek Gendarmerie
The Hellenic Gendarmerie was the national gendarmerie and military police force of Greece.-19th Century:The Greek Gendarmerie was established after the enthronement of King Otto in 1833 as the Royal Gendarmerie and modeled after the French Gendarmerie. It was at that time formally part of the...
(merged with the Cities Police
Cities Police
The Cities Police was a Greek police force extant from 1921 to 1984, responsible for policing urban areas. It complemented the Greek Gendarmerie, which was responsible for rural and suburban areas.- History :...
to form today's Hellenic Police in 1984) and graduated from the Officers Academy; Oikonomou subsequently served for many years in the elite State Security Division (Διεύθυνση Κρατικής Ασφάλειας), responsible for protecting Greece's democratic form of government
In 2001, he was appointed as the first Press Spokesman of the Police and the Ministry of Public Order, responsible for the Police's overall media strategy, a post he held until 2006; Early during his tenure, the police managed to destroy the Revolutionary Organization 17 November
Revolutionary Organization 17 November
Revolutionary Organization 17 November , was a Marxist urban guerrilla organization formed in 1975 and believed to have been disbanded in 2002 after the arrest and trial of a...
terrorist group, propelling Oikonomou to nation-wide prominence.
As a Police Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
he served as head of the Attica Aliens Directorate and First Deputy Director of the Attica Security Sub-Directorate until March 2008. Promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, he was placed in charge of the Police VIP security directorate. On 3 March 2009 he was promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and placed as Inspector General for Southern Greece, while on 5 November 2009 he was named Chief of the Hellenic Police.
He is married and has one daughter.