General Directorate of Security (Turkey)

The General Directorate of Security (Turkish: Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü, EGM), or the Turkish National Police, is the national civil police of Turkey primarily responsible for law enforcement in urban areas, whilst rural policing falls under the jurisdiction of the Gendarmerie General Command.

History

Its creation dates back to the 19th century. Until the dissolution of the Janissaries in 1826, police services in the Ottoman Empire were carried out by local garrisons and public administrators.

The present-day TNP was then established in 1845, as part of the Tanzimat, with a law inspired by the Paris Police.

Though it faced massive changes in function and structure over the years, the institution itself remained the same and was not replaced by a successor during the Turkish Revolution.

Function and mission

The Police Duties and Jurisdiction Law of 1934 (Turkish: Polis Vazife ve Salâhiyet Kanunu) establishes the fundamental mission of the TNP as to:

• Protect the public order, persons and the immunity of residence,
• Ensure the safety of the people, goods, and the public peace,
• Provide assistance to the children in need of help, disabled persons, and other disadvantaged groups.

Structure

The TNP reports to the Ministry of the Interior and is composed of 81 divisions, each for respective provinces, that make up several police regions that are bolstered by specialist units.

In the provinces, it operates under the command of governors (Turkish: vali) and district governors (Turkish: kaymakam). Civil administrators (Turkish: mülki amir) are responsible for the security and well-being of towns and districts.

The Turkish National Police (TNP) operates within the network of the civil administration system and carries out its duties under the command and control of the civil authority. Town governors and heads of district administrations supervise the force.

As of 2024, the centralized structure as it follows:

• Inspection Board
• Private Security Inspection Board
• Executive Assistant Directorate
• Legal Affairs Directorate
• Personnel Directorate
• Special Operations Directorate
• Intelligence Directorate
• Traffic Directorate
• Presidential Protection Directorate
• Combating Smuggling and Organized Crimes Directorate
• Combating Narcotics Crimes Directorate
• Internal Audit Unit
• Police Academy

As of 2023, the TNP has 352,188 personnel in law enforcement and public service positions, making it one of the largest public employers in Turkey. It was allocated an $8.6 billion budget in 2024.

However, the government surged the "internal security" grants in the 2025 budget proposal, increasing the grand total for all law enforcement agencies to an all-time record of $19.5 billion.

Units

All Turkish police officers wear navy-blue uniforms and caps.

Patrol cars can be identified by their unique blue-white design and the writing Polis (Turkish for "Police") on the side doors and hood.

Commissioners and police chiefs wear silver stars rank on their shoulders and police directors wear gold stars.

• Çevik Kuvvet (riot squad) armpatch
• Naval armpatch
• Traffic armpatch
• General Service armpatch
• Airport armpatch

Some well-known police units in Turkey are:

• Martılar (English: Gulls) bike patrol units
• Yunuslar (English: Dolphins) motorcycle units
• Şahinler (English: Falcons) motorcycle units of the traffic department
• TOMA armored water cannon designed for riot control
• Çevik Kuvvet (English: Agile Force) who handle riot control cases
• Özel Harekat (English: Special Operations) which is the special response unit of the directorate (quite like the American SWAT or the German GSG 9)
• Karşı Atak Timi (English: Counter Attack Team) close protection service for the president
• Aviation Department

• Police Academy during parade
• Motorcycle unit Yunuslar
• TOMA water cannon in Istanbul, 2013
• Female riot police squad (Çevik Kuvvet Polis)
• Police patrol boat
• Police diver
• Bell 429 helicopter of Turkish Police Aviation Department

Training

The TNP receives two categories of training, the first being in-service training provided by the Department of Education operating directly under the General Directorate of Security; whereas pre-profession training is provided by the Police Academy.

The Police Academy offers five different training programs:

• Police Schools (2 years)
• Police Training Centers (8 months)
• Police Chiefs Training Center (1 year)
• Security Sciences Institute
• Higher Level Management Training

There are other educational institutions that give expert in-service training, such as the Turkish International Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime and the Crime Investigation and Research Education Center.

Ranks and insignia

Equipment

Firearms

Patrol Vehicles

Armoured Vehicles

Boats

• Ares 35 FPB -17 boats
• ASBOT KN-35
• 57 patrol boats

Coastal Directorate of Security

• Multi-purpose fast lifeboats - 16 on order.
• Emergency response tugboats - 2 on order.
• Pilotage service boats - 6 on order.

Aircraft

Planned Acquisition :

• New liaison and utility aircraft
• BMC Tulga SUV

See also

• Gendarmerie General Command
• List of firefighting equipment of Turkey

External links

• (in Turkish)
• [permanent dead link]
• 10 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine

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