I personally think that Turkey should update its counter-terrorism concept, task sharing, and adapt its institutions to the demand of our times. It is true that urbanization is fast ongoing process in Turkey but I see flaws in the task sharing system. The nature of Police and the Gendarmerie as institutions is not the same.
Because of certain needs in the past the decision for militarizing police was taken. Time past but the police and especially POH are heavily militarized force of which the numbers are extremely high. They are being used everywhere no matter the task from road blocks, urban warfare in foreign countries, hostage rescue operations, terrorist hunt in high mountain areas. This is wrong. Police should be police and the need for military police in the country should be taken by the Gendarmerie solely.
Every kind of task requires its specialized units. We need to change the system from small number of units specialized in everything to many number of different units specialized specifically for their tasks.
For rural areas we have the Gendarmerie. The Gendarmerie have a fully professional force of Specialists within its different branches. It haves 2 Commando Brigades, several Gendarmerie Special Operations JOH units and Special Public Security Command which is commanding the most elite units of the Gendarmerie the Gendarmerie Special Operations JOPER which are specialized heavily on tactical fast response and hostage rescue operations. I think the Gendarmerie have the full capacity to take under their responsibility of all rural areas and conduct military style operations on their own with their specialized personnel.
For urban areas we have the Police. Within the police the most militarized units are the Police Special Operations POH units. POH is not a homogenous force like many think. Within POH there are units with different specialization and level of training. The problem with POH is that it is seen like everybody's good boy. POH we have a road block and we need you to show some muscles do you come? Yes! POH we have a hostage rescue do you come? Yes! POH we have a raid on narco bosses do you come? Yes! POH we have a search and destroy operation on 3000m altitude do you come? Yes! With the many tasks POH have, the recent coup attempt by the FETO terrorist organization the numbers of tasks of POH is rising together with its equipment demands, man power resource demands and specializations. With time POH will turn into TSK without we even notice. The newest specialization that POH teams had to undergo was CSAR. This type of structuring and share of responsibility is wrong on many levels.
My proposition for that problem to be resolved is the following:
Intensifying training on regular police officers in their different branches on the level that the traffic police will not need POH on a roadblock. Standardized training methodology, establishing of clear standard operation procedures and improving the discipline, knowledge on equipment and its use. Respectively arming and supplying police teams more heavily (US style) advanced non-lethal weapons, advanced ballistic protection means like shields and high caliber Personal Defence Weapon for every patrol team. Providing more easily accessible advanced training courses in tactical shooting, marksmanship, psychology.
Creating a competing sport branches within the 3 main forces (Police, TSK, Gendarmerie) with different combat sports and practical combat disciplines which creates competitiveness between different units copying the Russian model. Awarding personnel which enters training courses, completes them with high success level and participates in competitions.
Restructuring of the whole police counter-terrorism system by merging TEM and POH, establishing a Directorate for Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism of which the HQ and main training center is in Ankara. Securing guest trainee system giving the possibility of personnel receiving training in military units and military personnel receive advanced training in the Directorate for Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism Training Center. Establishing of counter-terrorism TEM branches in 51 provinces. Establishing of Tier 1 Special Operations branches in Ankara and Istanbul. The Special Operations branches will have a German federal police GSG-9 influenced system of specialization by enforcing 5 main branches with their distinguishing specialization trees, dedicated supportive departments, and helicopter fleet.
1. Sharpshooter Operations Branch
2. Diving and Maritime Operations Branch (VBSS, Underwater Insertion Specialists)
3. Airborne Operations Branch (Parachute Specialists, Airborne Infiltration Specialists)
4. Main Counter-Terrorism Branch (Ground based main counter-terrorism branch)
5. Special Support Branch
a) Special Medical Support (Highly qualified para-medics supporting both the combat elements and civilian casualties on the field)
b) Explosive Ordnance Disposal (Highly qualified EOD Specialists)
c) CBRN (Highly trained Specialists in reaction to Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear threats)
Other than that establishing of Tier 2 Rapid Response Teams in provinces in which there is need for special task units that are used for high risk arrest-warrants, barricaded suspects, raids, sieges, kidnappings and every situation requiring a more specially trained and equipped personnel which will be on the service of the provincial Police branch.
Both these highly qualified and specialized wings of the Directorate for Special Operations and Counter-Terrorism will be able to conduct military operations on need but their main role will be contaminating criminal and terror networks in urban areas.
All rural tasks will be handled by the Gendarmerie and Police will intervene only on request. In that way the share of the tasks will be done according to the institution's specialization and Police will stay Police and Military will be Military.
Without restructuring of the counter-terrorism system and the proper task share mechanism we will wonder about many more things. Yesterday we wondered about MANPADS and ATGMs. Today we wonder about T-129s and tomorrow we may wonder about tanks and nuclear bombs. We must see clearly the fact that the police is going out of its roles and it may sound good for some that our police officers are doing so many things but in reality that structure becomes less efficient, the personnel becomes more but with less quality and the institution becomes a financial burden.