Table of Contents
Discover the mission of Turkish Gendarme! Explore their vital roles, responsibilities & historical impact.
The Turkish Gendarmerie, or Jandarma Genel Komutanlığı, as known in Turkey, is a longstanding part of the country’s security apparatus. Stemming back to the Ottoman Empire era, the gendarmerie’s role has shifted and evolved in synchrony with Turkey’s security needs.
Introduction
History and Role of the Turkish Gendarme
The Turkish Gendarmerie has its roots in the 19th century when it was first established as a branch of the Ottoman police responsible for domestic security. It has carried over a military feature into the modern era; however, it is now majorly assigned for maintaining public order in areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of police forces.
Importance of the Gendarme in Maintaining Security
Given the geopolitical complexities encompassing Turkey, both domestically and regionally, the role of the Gendarmerie has never been more crucial.
They are tasked with the prevention and investigation of crimes, maintaining public order, and assisting other security agencies when needed. From combating terrorism and organized crime to maintaining rural peace and security, the Gendarmerie performs a broad spectrum of duties to ensure the nation’s safety.
Thus, the Turkish Gendarmerie stands as a crucial pillar in maintaining national security and contributing to Turkey’s resilience and stability.
Responsibilities of the Turkish Gendarme
Maintaining Law and Order in Rural Areas
The Jandarma has jurisdiction in areas where there is no police force, most importantly in rural regions. They are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of these communities, making certain that law and order are upheld.
The Jandarma also plays an active role in investigating crimes, executing judicial services, and providing public safety in these areas.
Border Security and Counterterrorism Operations
The Jandarma is tasked with safeguarding Turkey’s borders from illicit activities, such as smuggling and human trafficking.
They are well equipped to handle counterterrorism operations, playing a integral role in the fight against terrorism within the nation. The Jandarma possesses specialised training and equipment, enabling them to respond effectively and decisively to these serious threats. Their hard work contributes significantly to national security.
Each of these tasks contributes to the Jandarma’s overarching mission: to ensure the safety, peace, and prosperity of the Turkish nation and its citizens.
Collaboration with Other Law Enforcement Agencies
The Turkish Gendarmerie, plays a significant role in maintaining peace and order in rural areas. However, the Jandarma does not work alone – it often leverages collaborations with other law enforcement agencies, both on the domestic and international front.
Partnerships with Police and Military Forces
Within Turkey, the Jandarma liaises closely with local police and military forces to ensure a harmonised approach to safety and security.
From joint operations to share intelligence, these partnerships allow for a more efficient response to emergencies and threats. They work together in various operations, including counter-terrorism, drug control, and dealing with organized crime.
Coordination with International Organizations
Internationally, the Jandarma has established partnerships with organizations like INTERPOL and EUROPOL in a concerted effort to combat transnational crime.
These collaborations enable the Jandarma to stay updated on global security issues, hence allowing them to implement proactive measures in Turkey.
Training and Equipment of the Turkish Gendarmerie
Specialized Training Programs
The Jandarma command maintains several training facilities where personnel undergo rigorous and specialized training programs to ensure that they are well-equipped to handle a wide range of security issues.
The training encompasses theoretical learning and practical exercises which enhance their operational effectiveness in areas like counter-terrorism, riot control, crime investigation, and border security.
Modern Equipment and Technology
In addition to comprehensive training, the efficacy of the Turkish Gendarmerie is boosted by their access to modern equipment and technology. This includes state-of-the-art weaponry, surveillance systems, armored vehicles and aircraft, and communication devices.
Their ability to adapt and utilize innovative technological solutions plays a significant role in enhancing their response time and effectiveness in maintaining law and order.
The Turkish Gendarme Duties according to the law
Civil Duties
Principles of civil duties
ARTICLE 11- (1) Gendarmerie;
a) Protects the life, honor and property of the people.
b) Take the necessary measures to prevent the commission of crimes and to maintain public order.
c) Protects public order, the safety of the public and persons and the inviolability of the dwelling.
ç) Take the necessary measures for the safe exercise of the rights and freedoms set forth in the Constitution and laws.
d) Prevents unlawful acts that disturb the peace and tranquility of the public.
e) Assist those who seek help, children in need of protection, minors in need of assistance, the disabled, the sick, the elderly, the infirm or orphans, and strangers.
f) Prevents all kinds of smuggling.
g) Takes measures to ensure the external protection of penal institutions, and ensures the protection of prisoners and convicts through their transfer and transfer.
ğ) Collects intelligence, cooperates with other intelligence and law enforcement units, and shares information in order to ensure security and security, to reveal crimes, to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the crimes committed.
h) Collaborates with other law enforcement units, public institutions, universities and non-governmental organizations and carries out projects for the prevention of crimes.
ı) Carries out traffic services and carries out transactions related to traffic accidents.
Duties related to the protection of life, property and property of the people
ARTICLE 13- (1) It is essential to take general and protective measures for the protection of the life, property and property of the people. Personal protection and protection shall only be carried out by order of the competent civil authority in the event that there is a special provision in the legislation or in cases of a special nature.
(2) In accordance with the provisions of the Turkish Criminal Code No. 26 dated 9/2004/5237 and other laws regarding the protection of property and the security of property, the measures and inspections to be taken shall be carried out by the gendarmerie in its field of duties and responsibilities.
Disaster- and event-related tasks
ARTICLE 14- (1) Gendarmerie; When it obtains information from fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches and similar events, it notifies its own supervisors and relevant public officials. Gendarmerie also goes to the scene without delay and takes all necessary measures. It takes precautions to prevent the loss and looting of the rescued item. Determine the causes of the fire, the damage caused by other events, and the type and amount of objects recovered. Gendarmerie shall give one copy of the report prepared in connection with the incident to the civil authority and another copy to the public prosecutor’s office.
(2) The duties stipulated by the Law No. 15 dated 5/1959/7269 on Assistance to be Provided by Measures to be Taken Due to Disasters Affecting Public Life and other relevant legislation provisions shall be carried out within the framework of the aforementioned Law and legislation.
Tasks related to infectious diseases and rabies and referral of the mentally ill
ARTICLE 15- (1) Gendarmerie; When it learns about infectious human or animal diseases, it first notifies the relevant persons and fulfills other duties required in their regions within the framework of the legislation on the subject, especially the Public Sanitation Law dated 24/4/1930 and numbered 1593 and the Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed Law dated 11/6/2010 and numbered 5996.
(2) The gendarmerie is also obliged to immediately notify the relevant health institutions of rabid animals in its area of duty or persons bitten by these animals, and to fulfill the requests for assistance duly communicated in case of any attack in the surveillance and separation works to be carried out by these institutions.
(3) If there is a possibility that the mentally ill patients, whose referral is deemed necessary in places where there is no police organization, may attack others, the duty of referral shall be carried out by the gendarmerie in order not to be responsible for the referral and only to prevent the attack. However, within the framework of the Law No. 2803, in cases where the gendarmerie is in charge in an entire province or district, the duty of dispatch also belongs to the gendarmerie.
Duties related to the protection of rights and freedoms
ARTICLE 17- (1) Gendarmerie; takes the necessary measures to ensure that persons exercise their rights and freedoms set forth in the Constitution and laws without fear and in safety. It prevents and suppresses unlawful acts and behaviors that prevent natural persons from exercising the powers and rights of the State and other public legal entities and private law legal entities within the framework of the legislation.
Tasks related to the prohibition of noise
ARTICLE 21- (1) Those who make noise inside and outside the dwelling after twenty-four o’clock in any way that disturbs the comfort and peace of the people of the vicinity in any way whatsoever shall be prohibited by the gendarmerie. The provisions of the Misdemeanors Law dated 30/3/2005 and numbered 5326 and the Law No. 5237 shall be applied to those who do not listen to this prohibition.
(2) In order to enable the adoption of measures for the protection of public order at weddings, engagements, concerts, fairs, festivals and similar gatherings, the persons concerned must notify the civil authority forty-eight hours in advance.
(3) The provisions of the Regulation on the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise published in the Official Gazette dated 4/6/2010 and numbered 27601 are reserved.
Tasks for those who need help
ARTICLE 22- (1) The duties of the gendarmerie in relation to those who need assistance are as follows.
a) To help all those who are in danger and ask for help.
b) To provide a suitable means of transportation to persons who are sick on the road, who have suffered an accident and who cannot afford to go to the place they want to reach, to send them to the relevant health institution or to find health personnel, to inform their families and to accompany them when necessary.
c) To ensure that a suitable place is available for those who cannot keep up with the means of transport or who remain in the way of these vehicles in the event that they cannot move for various reasons, and therefore have no place to go or are deprived of providing a suitable place for themselves.
ç) To find the legal representatives of the incapacitated persons or children who do not have the power to report their place of residence and to hand them over to their legal representatives, and to hand over those who do not have legal representatives to the relevant social welfare institutions or municipalities.
d) To give the necessary information to the applicants to ask for a place or way.
(2) When the legal representatives of those in need of assistance, orphaned children and those who are in a deprived situation refrain from receiving them, the situation shall be determined by the gendarmerie in a report and legal action shall be taken.
(3) In accordance with Law No. 5237 and the Social Services Law No. 24 dated 5/1983/2828, the Gendarmerie is obliged to notify the authorities of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies of the families, children, the disabled and the elderly and other persons in need of social services in need of protection, care and assistance and to cooperate with the authorities of the Ministry in question in the investigations concerning these persons.
(4) Gendarmerie; Within the framework of the Law No. 8 dated 3/2012/6284 on the Protection of the Family and the Prevention of Violence Against Women, it performs the duties and exercises the powers related to the measures to be taken in order to protect women, children, family members and persons who are victims of unilateral persistent stalking and to prevent violence against these persons in the area of responsibility. The gendarmerie is obliged to notify the civil authorities and competent authorities about these matters without delay.
Duties related to the investigation and trial of detainees and convicts
ARTICLE 25- (1) The list of names of the detainees and convicts to be taken to the judicial authorities for investigations and hearings shall be notified in writing by the director of the execution institution to the gendarmerie commander carrying out the duty of protection. The gendarmerie commander determines the strength of the guard patrol and makes the convicts and detainees available at the desired place and time.
(2) Convicts and detainees shall not be allowed to meet with others either on the road or in the courthouse and to exchange or exchange anything.
(3) When convicts and detainees are taken before the public prosecutor, the judge or the court, if they are fitted with seclusion devices, they shall be removed and they shall be allowed to enter unbound. At the exit from these places, the instaggering tools can be re-installed within the scope of the relevant legislation.
Military missions
ARTICLE 41- (1) Gendarmerie units; In cases of mobilization and war, it shall be placed under the command of the force commands with the sections to be determined by the decision of the Council of Ministers and shall continue its normal duties with the remaining part. In case of mobilization and war, the gendarmerie performs the duties assigned by the Law on Mobilization and State of War dated 4/11/1983 and numbered 2941.
(2) Gendarmerie units; Upon the request of the Chief of the General Staff, the Minister, and in the provinces, if requested by the garrison commander, with the approval of the governor, shall also perform the military duties assigned to them. The scope, nature and principles of fulfillment of these duties shall be determined by the General Staff and the Ministry.
