Greek police have repeatedly arrested criminals and charged them with very serious offenses, only to find out later that they had been on furlough from prison or that they had been lawfully discharged under early release schemes.

Reports on Monday said that one of the four suspects charged in connection with the assassination of two members of the motorcycle-riding Dias squad in the area of Rendi, southern Athens, in March last year was released as a result of poor handling on the part of Korydallos Prison officials who decided to free him after he was found innocent of an unrelated crime.

Errors and omissions of this kind are unacceptable for a country that claims to be waging a war against burgeoning crime.

The fight against crime serves no purpose if our police officers are doing their job properly while a dysfunctional system insists on allowing dangerous criminals the opportunity to commit even more hideous crimes.