Selami Yıldız, appointed as Istanbul Police Chief, has taken office! Who is Selami Yıldız?

Deputy Director General of Security Selami Yıldız has been appointed as the Istanbul Provincial Police Chief.

According to the appointment decisions published in the Official Gazette with the signature of AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Adıyaman Provincial Police Chief Ali Haluk Karakuş from the Ministry of Interior's General Directorate of Security has been dismissed from his post.

Alper Uzman has been appointed to the Adıyaman Provincial Police Chief position vacated by Karakuş.

ISTANBUL POLICE CHIEF SELAMİ YILDIZ HAS TAKEN OFFICE

At the handover ceremony held at the Istanbul Police Department campus, Selami Yıldız took over the duty from Zafer Aktaş, who retired due to the age limit.

Taking over from Aktaş, Selami Yıldız wished that this change of command would be beneficial for Istanbul, Turkey, and the police force.

Stating that their fight against terrorist organizations, organized crime groups, and drug traffickers will continue with determination, Istanbul Police Chief Yıldız said, “Our fight against terrorism, organized crime groups, and drug traffickers will continue with determination for the peace and security of our Istanbul. With the support of our Istanbul public, we will spare no sacrifice in this struggle. I wish this change of command to be beneficial for our Istanbul, our country, and our organization. I also wish our outgoing chief a happy retirement.”

Following the handover ceremony, Aktaş and Yıldız presented flowers to each other in the office.

WHO IS SELAMİ YILDIZ, WHERE IS HE FROM?

Selami Yıldız, who was appointed as the Istanbul Police Chief, was born in Istanbul in 1968. Yıldız graduated from the Ankara Police College in 1986 and from the Police Academy in 1990.

He served as a Security Attaché at the Embassy in Portugal between 1998 and 2000.

He was promoted to First Class Police Chief in 2014. Yıldız was appointed as the Adana Provincial Police Chief in 2017 and as the Deputy Director General of Security in 2023.