The codes of the Police and Gendarmerie decree: Appointments without MHP and a love scandal

Journalist Tolga Şardan, pointing out that the police chiefs appointed by the police decree do not have MHP references, delved into the details of the decree in his column in T24. 

In his column, Şardan used the following expressions regarding the subject:

In the decree in question, the influence of the Erzincan Group, who define themselves as 'Reyhani', the Menzil sect, and the Okuyucular group is visible.

The decrees for the three law enforcement agencies under the umbrella of the Ministry of Interior were published in the Official Gazette over the weekend and entered into force.

In the decrees that redefined the executive staff in the Police, Gendarmerie, and Coast Guard organizations, the appointments in the Police and Gendarmerie are particularly striking.

Starting with the Gendarmerie; as reflected in the public eye, the current General Commander Arif Çetin, who has been the target of criticism due to his professional approaches in the recent period, could not avoid being retired.

Like the former Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, with whom he worked for a long time, Çetin, who appeared to be unbothered by the public release of photos showing him with criminal figures, became a name criticized behind closed doors within his own organization.

From now on, he will be remembered for this career of his.

Following the retirement of Çetin, who drew backlash due to his remarks at a gendarmerie graduation ceremony attended by President Erdoğan on the day the decree was issued, his deputy, General Ali Çardakçı, took the seat of General Commander of the Gendarmerie.

Although it has been brought up before, it is necessary to recall the allegations that Çardakçı is a "Menzil follower" due to the new appointment. I should add that Çardakçı has not made any statement regarding these allegations to date.

As a result of Çetin's term not being extended and his subsequent retirement, the next three General Commanders of the Gendarmerie have been determined by the decree, provided there are no setbacks. After Çardakçı, the path to the general command has been opened for Hüseyin Kurtoğlu, who became a General upon his promotion, and subsequently for Lieutenant General Aykut Tanrıverdi, the Deputy General Commander of the Gendarmerie currently serving in Aydın. Tanrıverdi is known within the organization as being part of Çardakçı's team.

Looking at the decree as a whole, it would not be wrong to say that a purge of certain names has taken place. It is noteworthy that alongside cadres described as Menzil followers, figures associated with the Nurcu movement have also risen in their duties.

For instance, Major General Ferdi Korkmaz, known for his Kemalist identity, is among those retired. Likewise, Major General Engin Çırakoğlu, who does not belong to any religious sect, was also retired. Major General Nurettin Alkan, the Balıkesir Gendarmerie Commander and one of the symbolic figures of the Gendarmerie General Command on the night of July 15, was spared from the retirement wave at the last minute.

Independent of the names included in the decree, it is possible to say that Çardakçı and Kurtoğlu have placed their own teams in the staff changes made at headquarters. Looking at those who replaced those sent to field duty; Personnel Chief Major General Mustafa Erdem was the Intelligence Branch Manager during Deputy Commander General Hüseyin Kurtoğlu's tenure in Istanbul.

The reassignment of Tunceli Gendarmerie Commander Major General Nuh Köroğlu and Bursa Gendarmerie Commander Major General Tekin Aktemur to the headquarters is remarkable in terms of cadre formation.

Additionally, Brigadier General Ali Gemalmaz, the Muğla Gendarmerie Commander who gave the orders for the gendarmerie violence applied against villagers protesting for the environment in Akbelen, Muğla, has been sent to the earthquake-stricken region of Kahramanmaraş.

THE PROHIBITED LOVE SCANDAL OF THE PROVINCIAL GENDARMERIE COMMANDER

With the publication of the decree, an interesting incident has been under discussion in the corridors of the Ministry of Interior for several days.

Due to the parties involved and the nature of the incident, I did not want to disclose the names of the Gendarmerie personnel at the center of the allegations.

However, the Ministry of Interior can make a statement if they wish!

As a matter of fact, it is not just a single incident that disturbs the Gendarmerie organization, but a chain of events involving the same names.

At the very top of this chain of events in a medium-sized city in Eastern Anatolia are the provincial gendarmerie commander of said city and one of his deputies.

According to the allegations, the commander, who holds the rank of brigadier general and previously served at the Gendarmerie General Command, was appointed to the city in question during last year's assignments. He did not move his family. In a sense, he carried out his duties as a bachelor.

However, over time, a closeness developed between him and a female officer serving under his command as a district gendarmerie commander. The female officer's husband was also an officer serving in the same city but in a different Gendarmerie unit.

Meanwhile, one of the aforementioned commander's deputies was going through a similar process to the Commander. He, too, did not refrain from engaging in romantic relationships with the female officers and non-commissioned officers under his command.

What happened was heard throughout the city in a short time. It was even alleged that the district gendarmerie commander, a female officer, had become pregnant by the provincial gendarmerie commander.

While these were taking place, the young woman's husband was caught by the police about 6 months ago while driving in the city with a blood alcohol level of 300 promille. The governor's office launched an administrative investigation and the judiciary launched a criminal investigation into the officer who resisted the police.

After the second incident occurred, the officer who was caught drunk threatened the deputy provincial gendarmerie commander, who was alleged to be having an affair with the female personnel under his command, by saying, "I have footage of you." The command echelon intervened with the governor's office to obtain the footage and to prevent the officer caught driving under the influence from being punished, but they were unsuccessful.

During the same period, the husband of the female officer, who was alleged to have become pregnant by the provincial gendarmerie commander, filed for divorce. When the pregnant female officer left her post, a new appointment was made in her place.

The events were soon reflected in Ankara. Everyone, especially Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya, the Gendarmerie General Command, and the Ministry of Interior, heard about it.

Angered by what happened, Yerlikaya gave the instruction for the provincial gendarmerie commander to be dismissed, and he was retired. His two deputies were also retired along with the commander.

As far as I know, no inspector was assigned from the gendarmerie to investigate the process.

A STRIKING DECREE IN THE POLICE

Within the framework of the same decrees, a series of changes were also made in the provincial police departments.

However, the most striking change was the dismissal of Director General of Security Erol Ayyıldız, even though he had not yet completed one year in his post.

Consequently, the success of the choice made for such an important position as the General Directorate of Security has become a matter of debate.

For some time, his own close team had been using the term "ineffective element" for Ayyıldız. Interestingly, Ayyıldız, who was working on the provincial police chiefs' decree, was suddenly dismissed by the decree himself.

I even reported on the process regarding Ayyıldız in the July 2nd Büyüteç, for which I left a link. In that Büyüteç, I announced the possibility of a governor from the Marmara or Southeastern Anatolia region being brought in to replace Ayyıldız. In the end, the Governor of Bursa from the Marmara region was appointed as the Director General of Security!

According to information reflected in the corridors, the main factor in Ayyıldız's dismissal was his inability to work in harmony with Interior Minister Yerlikaya and Deputy Interior Minister Münir Karaloğlu, who is responsible for the Police.

With the appointment of Bursa Governor Mahmut Demirtaş as Director General of Security, the path was blocked for Istanbul Police Chief Zafer Aktaş, who will retire due to the age limit in December, to be brought to the General Directorate of Security.

Aktaş acts in coordination with Deputy Directors General of Security Mahmut Çorumlu and Selami Yıldız among the groups within the Police Department.

NO POSITIONS FOR MHP-REFERENCED CANDIDATES

It would not be wrong to say that there are no police chiefs among those appointed by the police decree who have the backing of the MHP. On the contrary, the influence of the Erzincan Group, who define themselves as "Reyhani," the Menzil sect, and the Okuyucular group is visible throughout the decree in question.

The absence of names close to the MHP naturally has both bureaucratic and political implications. 

Furthermore, another striking aspect of the decree is that Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya was unable to remove the police chiefs whom he identified as attempting to conduct an "indirect operation" against him during the secret witness and coup attempt scandal that erupted in the Ankara Police Department.

POLICE CHIEFS WHO RESIGNED BY SUBMITTING PETITIONS

It is known that some police chiefs who were reassigned to the headquarters in the police decree requested to leave their posts by submitting petitions.

Moreover, five of the provincial police chiefs included in the decree that went into effect last year after Yerlikaya took office left their positions for various reasons. Only Selim Arıcı, who was reassigned to the headquarters while serving as the Çanakkale Police Chief, was appointed to a post in Uzbekistan.

In my opinion, this situation should be a warning to those who manage the organization. Because serving as a provincial police chief in the provinces is becoming "administratively" more difficult with each passing day!

THOSE ASSIGNED ABROAD

While I am at it, let me add one more piece of information; there is an interesting allegation regarding one of the names appointed as provincial police chief with the decree.

Specifically, during the period when the police chief in question was serving in the Southeast, an investigation into fake invoices was conducted by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime (KOM) Branch, which he headed, against a prominent private hospital in the city.

In the investigation seized by the courthouse, the hospital management was cleared. However, shortly after, the wife of this police chief was appointed as the "manager" of the same hospital!

Along with the provincial police chiefs decree, the list of police chiefs assigned abroad was also approved by the Presidency.

Ahmet Selçuk Okumuş, one of the provincial police chiefs brought to the center in the police decree, was this time assigned to Kazakhstan. As is known, Okumuş had announced on his personal social media account that he had received a "blessing" from MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli.

Looking at the list, it is noteworthy that Antalya Police Chief Orhan Çevik, who was in the team of former Interior Minister Soylu, was assigned to Hungary.

Another name on the same list is Deputy Head of Narcotics Soner Yıldırım. Yıldırım is one of the names who had a signature on the 'Bataklık' (Swamp) file. Within the framework of the overseas decree, Yıldırım has been assigned to the TRNC, which has recently come to the fore with money laundering, virtual betting, and gambling organizations.

News Source: 12punto