Police officer suspended over political connections query

The Hellenic Police (ELAS) suspended a senior officer in the Peloponnese, southern Greece on Monday, as an internal investigation got under way into an allegation that he had asked a citizen who requested a fire truck to save his house from a wildfire if he had political connections.

ELAS suspended the officer in question and ordered the probe after a video made the rounds on the internet showing the citizen telling a TV channel about the fire that reached his village and his house, and the conversation he had with the officer.

More specifically, the citizen said that he called the officer at the Arcadia Police Department and asked him for a fire truck to save his house.

The officer then contacted the fire department, which refused the request.

Then, the citizen alleged, the officer asked him if he had political connections.