Deputy police chief commits suicide in Turkey, as officers plan protest

ANTALYA

Deputy police chief Ergin İşler, 48, shot himself in the chest with his service pistol at his dwelling. DHA Photo

A high-ranking police officer has committed suicide at his home in the southern province of Antalya, in the latest instance of a soaring number of police suicides, about which a protest had been due to take place today.

Deputy police chief Ergin İşler, 48, shot himself in the chest with his service pistol at his dwelling yesterday night.

İşler’s wife found the father of two in the living room after hearing the sound of the gun shot.
His body was brought to the forensics’ morgue after an examination by crime scene investigators.

İşler’s suicide came a day before a demonstration scheduled to take place today, in order to draw attention to rising suicides within the police force in the county.

Before İşler’s suicide, the police department workers all around the nation had been planning to click their walkie-talkies for 34 minutes, in memory of the 34 police officers who have killed themselves up to today.

But, as the number rose to 35 yesterday, the clicking protest is now due to take place for 35 minutes between 12 p.m. and 12.35 p.m. today.