Turkish police mark 179th anniversary of foundation

ANKARA

The Turkish police force has marked the 179th anniversary of its establishment, with leading chiefs of the organization holding an official ceremony at the mausoleum of modern Türkiye’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Commencing from the beginning of the week, the country’s 81 provinces are witnessing official ceremonies for the anniversary.

Currently under the jurisdiction of the Interior Ministry, the roots of the police can be traced to an imperial edict issued on April 10, 1845, during the Ottoman era, which delineated the responsibilities of the police force. Today’s organization offers services ranging from traffic management to combating terrorism and narcotics.

Emphasizing the paramount significance of the occasion, Erol Ayyıldız, the head of the police, alongside other senior figures, including Professor Dr. Yılmaz Çolak, the president of the Police Academy, Ankara police chief Engin Dinç and other department heads, paid tribute to Atatürk by laying a wreath at his mausoleum at Anıtkabir on April 8, followed by a moment of silent reverence.

Inscribed within the special commemorative book at Anıtkabir, Ayyıldız penned, police organization ensures the peace and security of the nation across every corner of the country, “echoing the visionary leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the trailblazer of the Independence War and the architect of the republic.”

The inscription further underscored the exceptional performance of the police in safeguarding against various threats, including terrorism, organized crime organizations, drug trafficking and irregular migration, as well as the maintenance of general public order and traffic control. Ayyıldız noted that the organization recognizes “the fundamental duty of standing by the nation's side at every moment of need.”

Several provinces also held commemorative ceremonies at central monuments to honor the memory of fallen police officers.