HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE GENDARMERIE

Compared with the other nations of the world, the Turks, which have the capability of founding organised and long-lived states, have also been one of the most interesting nation besides their understanding of state since they, appeared in the history.
In the 19th Century, taking into consideration that the problem of security and public order could be able to be solved by another different organisation, the Ottoman Empire established the "Zaptiye Müsirligi" (8) at the date of 16 February 1846.
The units of Gendarmerie executed the duties of inland security and also joined in the defence of the fatherland as an inseparable part of the Armed Forces at the Canakkale, Caucasia, Syria and Iraq fronts during the time of the 1st World War and the Turkish Independence War. Especially the engagements of Gendarmerie Battalions of Gelibolu and Bursa occurred in the Battles of Canakkale which had the courage of Turks written into the History of the World with golden letters, are full of bravery which has made the Turkish Nation proud of them. The organisation of the Gendarmerie of Republic has been realised by putting into force the Law of Gendarmerie No: 1706, dated 10 June 1930. On March 10th, 1983, the Law of organisation, Duty and, Authorities of Gendarmerie, No: 2803 was adopted and put into force in order to get the Gendarmerie to have an appropriate structure for today's conditions.

RESPONSIBILITY AREAS

Ministry of the Interior is responsible of ensuring the security and public order in Turkey, and it is implementing this duty by means of General Command of Gendarmerie, General Directorate of Security and Command of Coast Guard.
The Police organisation works within the boundaries of municipality of cities and districts, and Gendarmerie works outside the boundaries of municipality. Ensuring the security and public order duty in an area which constitutes ninety one per cent (91%) of Turkey is under the responsibility of the General Command of Gendarmerie.

DUTIES OF GENDARMERIE

Law No: 2803 about organisation, Duty and Authority of Gendarmerie, and some 506 separate administrative, judicial and military laws and regulations give duties to Gendarmerie. According to Law No: 2803 of organisation, Duty and Authorisation, Gendarmerie has four main duties as Administrative, Judicial, Military and other duties

Administrative Duties cover the measures to prevent crimes in order to ensure, protect and keep under observation the security and public order.

Judicial Duties cover the activities of uncovering committed crimes and criminals, catching and getting them to the judicial authorities together with the concerning evidences.

Military Duties cover tasks required by the Military Laws and Regulations, and the ones given by The Turkish General Staff.

Other Duties cover the execution of laws and regulations other than Administrative, Judicial and Military ones, and the duties given by Government Decrees which are based on these laws and regulations.

Activities of the Headquarters The Headquarters of General Command of Gendarmerie is the supreme organ that assists the General Commander of Gendarmerie on commanding of the Gendarmerie Units. Every incident concerning public order is pursued from there. The Headquarters also assign bigger units in parallel with the development of the incidents. In addition; procedures and principles concerning command and control, executing and developing of the projects about the future are carried out by the Headquarters.

Interior Security Units
General Command of Gendarmerie fulfils its security and public order duties by means of its subordinated Gendarmerie Regional Commands. Various numbers of Gendarmerie Provincial Commands attached to these commands have a complete organisation in districts and villages.

The Headquarters of the General Command of Gendarmerie and its subordinated units have a developed network of communication and computers.

Gendarmerie Provincial Commands fulfil their administrative duties through district commands and posts by means of motorised and on-foot patrols. They carry out road controls and searchings.

156 Gendarmerie Emergency Service
Gendarmerie evaluates the incidents that are informed by means of the 156 Gendarmerie Emergency Service and they immediately take precautions of prevention and intervention.

Services of Tourism
One of the purposes of the administrative duties is to help people in trouble. The services of Gendarmerie in tourism regions are to ensure security and public order, to provide foreign tourists with easy communication by the help of the personnel speaking foreign languages, and to assist the development of tourism contributing to the country economy.

Mountain Search and Rescue Teams
Mountain Search and Rescue Teams are always ready for the duty of ensuring security and public order in the provinces where intensive winter tourism exists. They help people carrying
out search-and-rescue activities and transporting the wounded and patients.

Coast and Lake Control and Intervention
Teams
Commands of Province Gendarmerie which have coasts, lakes or dams under their responsibility areas execute the duties given by the Laws of Environment and water products, and the duties of coast surveillance and also the duties of controlling permanently or daily inhabited islands which are within the territorial waters by means of Gendarmerie Coast and Lake Control and Intervention teams.

Highway Teams.
Besides the regulation of traffic flow on highways, Highway Gendarmerie Teams also carry out preventive security services in order to ensure general security and public order.

Additionally, the Highway Gendarmerie Teams regulate the traffic flow in cities in its responsibility areas, intervene in traffic accidents and render services on rescue and medical transportation activities.

Gendarmerie Commando Units
Gendarmerie Commando Units intervene in the incidents when incidents grow beyond the power of the stations which are in the constitution of the Interior Security Units and District Commands of Gendarmerie. Gendarmerie Special Operation Units render outlaws harmless and arrest them by carrying out point-target operations.

Guarding Duties
Gendarmerie also carries out guarding duties of critical, industry and transport installations such as dams, refineries, petroleum pipe lines and airports within the scope of its administrative duties. Gendarmerie also carries out the duties of external guarding of prisons within the same scope.

Forensic Activities
Judicial Duties are prosecution of committed offences. Within the scope of these duties, Gendarmerie intervenes in the incident after being informed about an offence which has been committed or is in the state of being committed. In the case of an offence which has already been committed, examination is started with scene investigation Evidences obtained by scene-investigation teams are studied carefully at Regional Forensic Offices, or at the Forensic Department of Gendarmerie General Command, and archives examination is done for a complete investigation. According to the evidences and statements obtained, accused people related to the incident are interrogated. After interrogation, they are sent to judicial authorities together with certain evidences.

Gendarmerie, a necessary Element of
The Armed Forces
Gendarmerie also carries out duties assigned by General Staff together with the duties assigned the by Military Laws and Regulations for the defence of the fatherland.

The Other Duties
Such duties as transportation of big amount of currency between banks, controls and transportation of explosives and guarding the statesmen are carried out within the framework of the duties of the application of the provisions of the laws and regulations other than civilian, legal and military duties and the ones given by Government Acts related to these provisions.

Gendarmerie Border Units
Gendarmerie Border Units are commanded by two border divisions. In the border areas entrusted to them, they protect the borders, and in the customs regions, they survey and prevent illegal trafficking.

Gendarmerie Air Units
Furthermore, there are Gendarmerie Air Units that have been established for reinforcing interior security and border units by air.

These units perform the below-mentioned duties successfully to ensure comfort, rest and safety of our people by using all kinds of facilities without minding the time and place;
Transporting the wounded and patients who are in trouble,

• Rescuing the people who are isolated during natural disasters, searching for the missing ones, delivering medicine and food to the disaster victims.
• Surveillance, watching and patrolling services by air in order to prevent illegal trafficking which harms the economy of our country.

• Surveying and pursuing the criminals by air and land forces at critical points in order to block various directions of escape of the criminals whose places have been determined. Gendarmerie Air Units have been renewing themselves in parallel with developing technology. They accomplish their duties successfully day and night with high-technology air vehicles and their trained personnel.

Training Activities
Gendarmerie fulfils these multifarious duties with the officers, NCOs, Specialised Gendarmes, Specialised Corporals and Privates who are trained in Gendarmerie Schools and Training Units.

Gendarmerie Schools are institutions of training where officers of Gendarmerie who are graduated from the Military Academy and NCOs who have been chosen to be officers having been successful in their professions are trained in the direction of the services that Gendarmerie performs, and also Gendarmerie NCOs and Specialised Gendarmes are trained here.
These schools that have been gathered under the Command of Schools are the institutions where training is performed practically according to the scenarios, and professional training services are performed with regard to the branches, and specialisation is achieved.
Personnel of Gendarmerie of foreign countries, with co-operation in regard to training, learn Turkish in Schools of Gendarmerie and then their professional capabilities and knowledge are developed by applied programmes. On the other hand, training units are the units where corporals and privates who will perform their military service as Gendarmes gain professional knowledge and capability.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

General Command of Gendarmerie, besides the indoor services, strive to contribute to the World Peace. For this reason, it has been given mission among NATO Peace Forces in Bosnia- Herzigova, among the West European Union Police Consultation Establishment and among international temporary units in EL-HALIL with its personnel and units. In addition, it continues its activities in the FIEP organisation so called as European Gendarmeries Union, and improves the co-operations with the Gendarmeries of the other countries. Within this scope, training support continues to be given to the Gambia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Gendarmerie organisations.

The web site : www.jandarma.tsk.mil.tr