The General Directorate of Security (, EGM), or the Turkish National Police, is the national civil police of Turkey primarily responsible for law enforcement in urban areas, whilst rural policing falls under the jurisdiction of the Gendarmerie General Command.
History Its creation dates back to the 19th century. Until the dissolution of the Janissaries in 1826, police services in the Ottoman Empire were carried out by local garrisons and public administrators.
The present-day TNP was then established in 1845, as part of the Tanzimat, with a law inspired by the Paris Police.
Though it faced massive changes in function and structure over the years, the institution itself remained the same and was not replaced by a successor during the Turkish Revolution.
Function and mission The Police Duties and Jurisdiction Law of 1934 (Turkish: Polis Vazife ve Salâhiyet Kanunu) establishes the fundamental mission of the TNP as to:
Protect the public order, persons and the immunity of residence, Ensure the safety of the people, goods, and the public peace, Provide assistance to the children in need of help, disabled persons, and other disadvantaged groups.
Structure The TNP reports to the Ministry of the Interior and is composed of 81 divisions, each for respective provinces, that make up several police regions that are bolstered by specialist units.
In the provinces, it operates under the command of governors () and district governors (). Civil administrators () are responsible for the security and well-being of towns and districts.
The Turkish National Police (TNP) operates within the network of the civil administration system and carries out its duties under the command and control of the civil authority. Town governors and heads of district administrations supervise the force.
As of 2024, the centralized structure as it follows:
Inspection Board Private Security Inspection Board Executive Assistant Directorate Legal Affairs Directorate Personnel Directorate Special Operations Directorate Intelligence Directorate Traffic Directorate Presidential Protection Directorate Combating Smuggling and Organized Crimes Directorate Combating Narcotics Crimes Directorate Internal Audit Unit Police Academy As of 2023, the TNP has 352,188 personnel in law enforcement and public service positions, making it one of the largest public employers in Turkey. It was allocated an $8.6 billion budget in 2024.
However, the government surged the "internal security" grants in the 2025 budget proposal, increasing the grand total for all law enforcement agencies to an all-time record of $19.5 billion.
Units All Turkish police officers wear navy-blue uniforms and caps.
Patrol cars can be identified by their unique blue-white design and the writing (Turkish for "Police") on the side doors and hood.
Commissioners and police chiefs wear silver stars rank on their shoulders and police directors wear gold stars.
Some well-known police units in Turkey are: () bike patrol units () motorcycle units () motorcycle units of the traffic department TOMA armored water cannon designed for riot control () who handle riot control cases () which is the special response unit of the directorate (quite like the American SWAT or the German GSG 9) () close protection service for the president Aviation Department
Training The TNP receives two categories of training, the first being in-service training provided by the Department of Education operating directly under the General Directorate of Security; whereas pre-profession training is provided by the Police Academy.
The Police Academy offers five different training programs:
Police Schools (2 years) Police Training Centers (8 months) Police Chiefs Training Center (1 year) Security Sciences Institute Higher Level Management Training
There are other educational institutions that give expert in-service training, such as the Turkish International Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime and the Crime Investigation and Research Education Center.
Ranks and insignia General Directorate of Security Director general 1st Degree Police Chief 2nd Degree Police Chief 3rd Degree Police Chief 4th Degree Police Chief Superintendent Chief inspector Inspector Deputy-inspector Sergeant Corporal Police officer
Equipment
Firearms ModelOriginTypeReferencesYavuz 16Semi-automatic pistolSarsılmaz Kılınç 2000Girsan MC 28 SATP9 SF Elite-SSAR 9 METESarsılmaz CobraShotgunSarsılmaz BabaUSAS-12Heckler & Koch MP5Submachine gunSAR 109TUziMKEK MPTRifleSAR 223T/PHeckler & Koch HK33Heckler & Koch G3AKMM16 rifleM4 carbineHeckler & Koch HK417IMI GalilSIG Sauer SIG516FN 303Riot controlMilkor MGLM203 grenade launcherPenn Arms GL40TAC40Canik M2 QCBMachine gunM60E6M249 SAWFN MAG 58LM8KMG556MMG556SVD DragunovSniper rifleLMT MWS 308IMI GalatzPCL-54CSteyr SSG 69PISteyr SSG 08Accuracy International AX50ASELSAN KANGALDrone jamming systemALKA DEWSDirected energy weaponÇETİNUnmanned ground vehicleCankut-1Combat drones
Patrol Vehicles VehicleImageOrigin/AssemblyTypePatrol carsTOGGElectric patrol carFord Transit CourierMost common patrol carFiat DobloRenault MéganeTraffic police carRenault SymbolStandard patrol and traffic police carHyundai AccentTraffic police carToyota CorollaTraffic and motorway police carFiat EgeaPatrol carToyota HiluxTraffic police carRenault FluenceRenault KangooPatrol carFord Transit ConnectPatrol carDacia DusterFiat LineaHyundai ElantraTraffic police carVolkswagen CaddyPatrol carOpel InsigniaTraffic police carOpel Combo LifePatrol carBMW 320i (F30)Traffic police carSubaru ImprezaToyota PriusPatrol car/Traffic policeMini CooperAudi A3BMW 120iNissan NavaraNissan JukeFerrari 458 ItaliaTraffic police carBentley GTTraffic police carMercedes Benz CLATraffic police carMercedes Benz GLSTraffic police carAudi RS6Traffic police carPorsche TaycanTraffic police carVolvo XC90Traffic police carRange RoverTraffic police carLand Rover FreelanderTraffic police carVolkswagen Golf Mk8Traffic police carPeugeot 3008Traffic police carBMW 5Traffic police carSkoda KodiaqTraffic police carFord RangerForensics carGMC YukonPresidential Guards carPatrol motorbikesBMW R1200 GSPatrol motorbikeHonda Africa TwinYamaha Fazer 1/6Honda VFR 800Vans and bussesFord TransitPatrol vanFord Transit CustomFiat DucatoIsuzu TurkuazPatrol busOtokar Sultan-Katmerciler KiraçCriminal research vehicle
Armoured Vehicles VehicleImageOrigin/AssemblyTypeNotesInfantry mobility vehicles/MRAPsOtokar AkrepInfantry mobility vehicle40 in service.Otokar CobraOtokar Cobra IIBMC KirpiMine-resistant ambush protectedBMC VuranNurol Ejder 417+ vehicles in serviceNurol Yörük Infantry mobility vehicle/Presidential Protection Department carOtokar Ural-Infantry mobility vehicle230+ vehicles in service.BMC AmazonMulti-purpose armoured vehicleNurol ILGAZ IIMine-resistant ambush protectedRiot controlTOMAIntervention Vehicle against Social IncidentsCadillac Cage Commando V-150SAmphibious armoured car/Armoured personnel carrier124 total. Converted into TOMAs.Dragoon 300Amphibious armoured fighting vehicle80 in service Converted into TOMAs.Unmanned Ground VehiclesAselsan Aslan Medium-class unmanned ground vehicleAselsan Kaplan Light-class unmanned ground vehicle
Boats
Ares 35 FPB -17 boats ASBOT KN-35 57 patrol boats
Coastal Directorate of Security Multi-purpose fast lifeboats - 16 on order. Emergency response tugboats - 2 on order. Pilotage service boats - 6 on order. +
Aircraft VehicleImageOriginTypeNotesAircraftBeechcraft Super King AirUtility/Transport aircraft2 B350i variant in use.Cessna Citation XLS+Utility aircraft1 in service.Beechcraft C90Utility aircraft2 in service.HelicoptersSikorsky S-92VIP Transport helicopter3 S-92A Used by the Ministry.Bell 206Multi-purpose utility helicopter2 Bell 206L-3 in service.Bell 429Multi-purpose utility helicopter14 in service.Sikorsky S-70 Black HawkMedium transport/Utility helicopterS-70A-D28 & 2 S-70i 18 T-70 on order.
2 T-70 in serviceTAI T625 GökbeyUtility helicopterFirst batch : 3 on order.TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAKAttack helicopter4 in T129B serviceUnmanned aerial vehiclesTAI AnkaMALE UCAVBaykar Bayraktar TB2ÇAĞATAY-VTOL UAVUÇBEYBULUT-Developed by Havelsan.Arcturus T-20Tactical reconnaissance UAV Planned Acquisition :
New liaison and utility aircraft BMC Tulga SUV
See also Gendarmerie General Command List of firefighting equipment of Turkey
References
External links
General Directorate of Security Directorate of Security, Foreign Relations Department Police Association Uniforms of the General Directorate of Security https://twitter.com/EmniyetGM