Born in Turkey, became a police chief in New Jersey: The success story of a Turkish immigrant

Yakup Zoklu, who has been serving as a police officer in the U.S. state of New Jersey for many years, has been promoted to police chief. Zoklu, who lives in New Jersey, one of the regions with a high concentration of Turks in the U.S., officially began his duties after taking the oath at a ceremony held.

Explaining that he joined law enforcement after completing his undergraduate studies at St. Peter's University and his master's degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University following high school, Zoklu stated that he was officially appointed to the position of police chief on February 4.

Sharing his feelings as the Cliffside Park Police Chief, Zoklu said the following:

'I always wanted to be a police officer. Becoming a police chief is a significant achievement for us, especially for someone like me who was born in Turkey.'

Stating that there is a large Turkish community in New Jersey and that he is in strong solidarity with the Turkish community in every situation, Zoklu emphasized that his goal is to serve the entire community in the best way possible.

Noting that he came to the U.S. with his family when he was 7 years old, Zoklu expressed the following:

'I came here in the second grade. My mother is from Mardin, and my father is from Diyarbakır. I was born in Istanbul and the journey started then... This is a great honor. It is an important achievement full of both responsibilities and challenges. While I am honored to serve the community and protect the public, I will also lead this department to ensure justice and public safety.'

Born in Istanbul in 1985 to a father from Diyarbakır and a mother from Mardin, and having immigrated to the U.S. with his family at the age of 7, Zoklu had become the first Syriac Turkish police officer in New Jersey. Zoklu became the second Turk to become a police chief in the U.S.

The ceremony held at the town hall was attended by town officials, members of the police department, and numerous guests. Mayor Thomas Calabrese, who administered the oath of office, emphasized that Zoklu would make significant contributions to Cliffside Park with his experience and leadership qualities.

News Source : AA