They have been fighting for their rights for 10 years

They are also victims. They have been engaged in a legal battle for 10 years. There are 1,300 of them. Across Turkey's 81 provinces, some serve as district chiefs, some as station commanders, and others as branch chiefs.

I can almost hear you asking, "What is this, who are you talking about?" The people we are referring to are police commanders. In the police force, there were two ways to become a police commander: one was graduating from the Police Academy and receiving a promotion in 4 years, and the other was working as a police officer for 6 years, holding a higher education degree, and receiving a promotion in 6 years...

"Let the injustice end, let us also receive promotions in 4 years" The grievance of the commanders who transitioned from police officer to assistant commissioner and started this struggle was resolved with an amendment to the Police Organization Law, leading to a decision for them to be promoted in 4 years, just like commanders who graduated from the Police Academy.

However, a new grievance arose with a temporary article added to this law. A chief inspector serving as a branch manager in one of our provinces described the 10-year-long struggle in an email sent to 12punto.com.tr as follows:

"I started my training in 2002 after winning a spot at the Police Vocational School. After 2 years of intensive training at the Police Vocational School, I began my service in Istanbul in 2004. While on the job, I completed a 4-year university degree. I am currently working on completing my master's degree. In 2011, I passed the in-service assistant commissioner exam, and after 1 year of training, I continued my service in Istanbul as an assistant commissioner in 2012. At that time, ranked personnel who became assistant commissioners from within the profession, like me, were required to serve in their rank for 6 years to be promoted to the next rank. Ranked personnel who were Police Academy graduates recruited from outside were required to serve in their rank for 4 years to be promoted to the next rank."

POLICE ACADEMIES WERE CLOSED

Following the events that took place between the government and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) on December 17-25, 2013, certain amendments were made to the Police Organization Law regarding how and through what system ranked personnel in the police force would be trained. With this amendment, the Police Academy was closed, and the training period was reduced from 4 years to 9 months. Furthermore, it was stated that recruitment would continue from within the profession as before, and the promotion period for this group was reduced to 4 years. Indeed, the right thing had been done. However, at this point, a temporary Article 26 was added to the regulation, excluding ranked personnel like me who became assistant commissioners from within the profession between 2004 and 2014. In short, a situation that should have been in our favor was not applied to us. In 2018, I completed my 6-year term of service and was promoted to the rank of commissioner. Between 2015 and 2019, we conveyed this unfair situation hierarchically to our superiors and the Minister of Interior of the time in an appropriate manner. Many of our colleagues filed lawsuits in administrative courts. In 2019, our voices were heard and a regulation was made, but the regulation remained incomplete; specifically, with the regulation made in 2015, the promotion period to the rank of assistant commissioner, both from within and outside the profession, was set at 4 years, provided that one was a graduate of a 4-year faculty. 

WE WERE VICTIMIZED FOR THE SECOND TIME

This regulation pleased 1,300 police officers like me. However, since I had received my previous promotion in 6 years, I requested that this also be counted as 4 years and demanded my 2-year difference. Our superiors, who were more senior than me, made the same request. However, these were ignored, and by adding another article to the law, it was stated that 'No rights can be claimed regarding the period worked in excess.'

WE HOPE OUR MINISTER OF INTERIOR WILL SOLVE THIS PROBLEM

In 2022, I was promoted to the rank of chief commissioner. Normally, I should have been promoted to the rank of police superintendent in 2023. According to the current situation, I will be promoted to the rank of police superintendent in 2025. Our Minister of Interior and our Director General of Security have just started their duties. I say this in line with the needs of the police force because there is currently a significant shortage in the ranks of police superintendents and directors. I request that this issue, which has become a gangrenous problem for 10 years and has exhausted us greatly, be evaluated and resolved at this point.