Criminal and disciplinary investigations are underway against police officers accused of accessing information from police computer systems without authorisation and passing it to third parties.

Speaking to Politis on Wednesday, Isotita union chief Nikos Loizides said investigations were being conducted into allegations involving the unauthorised retrieval of information from police databases.

The disclosures come after the anti-corruption authority rejected an anonymous complaint alleging that police officers were using the force’s telecommunications and information systems to obtain information for criminal elements.

The authority said it could not investigate the complaint further because the person who submitted it could not be contacted for additional information or clarification.

It said the reported incidents “do not constitute, in themselves, indications of an act of corruption” and that specific evidence was required to establish a corruption offence.

However, the authority said that if the allegations were supported by sufficient and reliable evidence, they could raise issues of “potential breach of official duty, improper conduct or commission of a serious disciplinary offence”.

It therefore terminated its examination of the complaint and directed the complainant to submit it by name to the watchdog tasked with investigating complaints against the police (Aadipa).

Loizides informed Politis that police officers each have two unique codes allowing them to access police computers and the force’s information system.

The electronic systems record who accesses information, what is searched for and which documents are viewed or printed.

He said that had the complaint identified the officers allegedly involved, their activity could have been checked against those electronic records.

The complaint alleged that police information was being passed to criminal syndicates, claiming misuse of confidential data and police systems.

The issue has also prompted a warning from police chief Themistos Arnaoutis.

In a circular issued to police directors and unit commanders in December 2024, he instructed them to inform officers that leaking information concerning criminal and disciplinary investigations could result in criminal and disciplinary action.

The circular specifically referred to officers who access police databases without authorisation or a legal reason and then disclose information to third parties.

The anti-corruption authority has previously faced difficulties investigating anonymous complaints because it cannot obtain additional evidence or clarification from complainants.

In its decision on the latest complaint, the authority said the allegations could concern disciplinary offences falling under the jurisdiction of other competent authorities.

It said a named complaint could therefore be submitted to Aadipa for examination.