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Turkish Gendarmerie

1839

Asakir-i Zaptiye Nizamnamesi (Military Law Enforcement Regulation) entered into force on the date of June 14, 1839 which was accepted as the founding date of the Gendarmerie.

1879

It took the name “Jandarma” as it is used today.

1909

The organization, which continued to modernize in 1908, was attached to the Ministry of War and was named General Gendarmerie Command.

1923

Gendarmerie Regional Inspectorates and Provincial Gendarmerie Regiment Commands were reorganized and Mobile Gendarmerie Units were strengthened.

1937

The “Gendarmerie Organization and Duty Regulations”, which constituted the legal basis of the gendarmerie organization of the period, came into force and with this law, the duty of protecting the prisons was given to the Gendarmerie in addition to the security and public order duties.  

1939

The gendarmerie was reorganized into four groups: Stationary Gendarmerie Units, Mobile Gendarmerie Units, Gendarmerie Training Units and Schools.

1956

With a law enacted in 1956, the General Command of Gendarmerie was responsible for the security and protection of our border, coastal and territorial waters, as well as the prevention, monitoring and investigation of smuggling in customs areas, carried out by the General Command of Customs. This task has been transferred to the Land Forces Command since 21 March 2013.

1968

The first Gendarmerie Aviation Association was established in Diyarbakır.

1983

The Law No. 2803 on the Organization, Duties and Powers of the Gendarmerie, which constitutes the basic legislation of today’s Gendarmerie, has entered into force.

1998

The Gendarmerie became a member of the FIEP.

2010

The Gendarmerie became an observer member of the European Gendarmerie Force (AJK).

2016

With the decree numbered 668, the Gendarmerie General Command was subordinated to the Ministry of Interior with the amendment made in the 4th article of the Law on the Organization, Duties and Powers of the Gendarmerie No. 2803.

The Gendarmerie General Command is comprised of central and provincial organizations, internal security units, Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy, training units, logistic support units, aviation units, and other units established according to the characteristics of the duties.

Gendarmerie General Command works on a 24/7 basis in order to ensure the safety of life and property of our citizens with a total of 3,600 units, including:

  • 3,056 Internal Security Units,
  • 218 Commando Units,
  • 162 Penitentiary Protection Units,
  • 160 Protective Security Units,
  • 4 Aviation Units.

The Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic is an armed public security and law enforcement organization, which maintains security, safety and public order and executes the duties ascribed to it by laws and Presidential decrees. The Gendarmerie General Command is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior.

The duties of the gendarmerie in their areas of responsibility are as follows.

a)  Civil duties;  

  • to maintain safety, public security and order,
  • to prevent, pursue and investigate smuggling,
  • to take and implement the necessary measures to prevent crime,
  • to provide external protection of penitentiaries  and detention centers,
  • to perform the duties, apart from the judicial and military of its kind, that are assigned by orders and decisions on the other legislation provisions.

b)  Judicial duties;  To carry out the procedures specified in the laws regarding the crimes and to perform the legal services related to them.

c)  Military duties;  To perform military services provided by laws and Presidential decrees.