The Ministry of Interior has reached the final stage of a new regulation that will fundamentally change the structure of the police organization. With this regulation, 1st Class Police Chiefs will now be appointed to district police departments across Turkey. These positions were previously generally held by 2nd Class Police Chiefs or Police Superintendents.
CONCERNS OF PROVINCIAL POLICE CHIEFS
According to a report by Son TV, the harshest reaction to the new regulation came from current provincial police chiefs. A high-ranking provincial police chief, who did not want to be named, stated that the regulation could cause a crisis in the field. Claiming that the ministry conducted this process behind closed doors, the chief said, “None of the organization's executive staff were consulted while such a radical regulation was being made.” He stated that many provincial police chiefs and chief directors who have served in provinces such as Istanbul, Ankara, Diyarbakır, and Gaziantep were left out of the process.
HIERARCHICAL PROBLEMS AND COORDINATION WEAKNESS
The new structure allows district chiefs to serve in a position equal in rank to the provincial chief. This situation could lead to serious coordination problems, especially during social incidents in metropolitan areas. The same high-ranking police chief expressed his concerns by asking, “What will happen if incidents break out simultaneously in 8-10 districts in Istanbul or Ankara? Will every district chief make decisions on their own?” He emphasized that issues such as which chief the riot police will report to and the provincial chief's authority to shift forces remain unclear.
News Source: 12punto
