# Gendarmerie General Command

The Gendarmerie General Command (Turkish: Jandarma Genel Komutanlığı) is the national gendarmerie force of the Republic of Turkey. It is a service branch of the Turkish Ministry of Interior responsible for the maintenance of the public order in areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of police forces (generally in rural areas), as well as assuring internal security along with carrying out other specific duties assigned to it by certain laws and regulations. In wartime, some of its elements can be subordinated to Turkish Land Forces by the President of Turkey.
The Commander of the Gendarmerie reports to the Minister of the Interior.
The Gendarmerie has its roots in the Ottoman Empire military law enforcement organization "Subaşı" (later known as the "Zaptiye"). A similar, earlier force called "Şurta" existed during the medieval Seljuq Empire.

## History
### Ottoman era

After the abolition of the Janissary corps of the Ottoman Empire in 1826, military organizations called Asâkir-i Muntazâma-i Mansûre, Asâkir-i Muntazâma-i Hâssa, and, in 1834, Asâkir-i Redîfe were established for security and public order in Anatolia and in some provinces of Rumelia.
As the first use of the term Gendarmerie was in the Assignment Decrees published in the years following the 1839 Edict of Gülhane, it is assumed that the Gendarmerie organization was founded after that year, but the exact date of foundation has not yet been determined. Therefore, the date on which the name Asâkir-i Zaptiye Nizâmnâmesi was adopted, June 14, 1839, is usually considered the foundation date of the Turkish Gendarmerie.
After the 1877–1878 Russo-Turkish War, Ottoman prime minister Mehmed Said Pasha decided to bring police officers from Britain and France to establish a modern law enforcement organization. The Gendarmerie was used to great effect after the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, particularly in Rumelia. In 1909, the Gendarmerie was affiliated with the Ministry of War, and its name was changed to the Gendarmerie General Command (Ottoman Turkish: Umûm Jandarma Kumandanlığı).
Gendarmerie units continued their internal security duties as well as taking part in the conflict at various fronts as a part of the Armed Forces during World War I and the Turkish War of Independence.

### Republic of Turkey
#### 20th century

The Gendarmerie organization achieved its current legal status on June 10, 1930. In 1939, the Gendarmerie organization was restructured, having three groups: Fixed Gendarmerie Units, Mobile Gendarmerie Units, and Gendarmerie Training Units and Schools.
In 1956, the Gendarmerie General Command was assigned the duties of protecting borders, coasts and territorial waters, and fighting smuggling, which had been previously carried out by the Gümrük Umum Kumandanlığı, under the Ministry of Customs and Monopoly. In 1957, Gendarmerie Border Units were transformed into brigades, and Gendarmerie Training Brigades were established.
In 1961, Gendarmerie Regional Commands were established. In 1968, the first Gendarmerie Aviation Unit was established in Diyarbakır under the name of Light Helicopter Company Command.
In 1974, Gendarmerie Commando Units and Gendarmerie Aviation Units took part in the Turkish military operations in Cyprus.
In 1988, the duty of protecting the land borders and ensuring their security was assigned to the Land Forces Command, but Gendarmerie General Command still holds the responsibility for some parts of the Iranian and Syrian borders and the whole Iraqi border.
The Gendarmerie Criminal Department was founded in Ankara in 1993 and from 1994, Gendarmerie Regional Criminal Laboratory Superiorities? were founded. Crime Scene Examination Teams, Explosive Material Disposal Units, Fingerprints and Palm Prints Branches and Crime Scene Examination Units were also established.

#### 21st century

In 2016, the Gendarmerie General Command was affiliated to the Ministry of Interior.
In 2018, Gendarmerie Special Operations participated in Operation Olive Branch, part of the Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War. According to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, Turkish Gendarmerie killed 500 Syrian civilians at the Turkish-Syrian border.
The Gendarmerie General Command currently has a total of 3,600 units, including 3,056 Internal Security Units, 218 Commando Units, 162 Prison Units, 160 Protection Units and four Aviation Units.

## Duties

The duties of the gendarmerie according to the Law No. 2803 on the Organization, Duties and Powers of the Gendarmerie; It is categorized under four main titles as judicial, military, civil and other duties.

### Judicial duties

* Finding crimes and criminals,
* Capturing suspects,
* Transferring evidence judicial authorities,
* Conduct preparatory investigations when instructed to by the public prosecutor,
* Transporting prisoners between jails and courthouses.

### Civil duties

* To ensure that the services for general safety and security are carried out in accordance with the relevant legislation,
* To carry out the services of informing the public about how to protect the society from public order crime, directing children and young people to crime and taking precautionary measures,
* To evaluate the information and statistics about public order crimes, to conduct or have an analysis of the crime and to determine the methods of combating crime to prevent public order crimes by evaluating them,
* Carrying out activities to prevent crime,
* Preventing, pursuing and investigating smuggling,
* External protection of penal institutions and detention centers.

### Military duties

* To perform military services provided by law

### Other duties

* These are duties other than judicial, military and civil duties, such as facility and personal protection and transport security, which must be carried out in accordance with laws and regulations, orders and decisions.

## Structure
### Commands

Gendarmerie General Command Headquarters (Ankara)
* Gendarmerie Security Corps Command (Van)
** 23. Gendarmerie Border Division (Şırnak)
** 21. Gendarmerie Border Brigade (Yüksekova)
** 1. Gendarmerie Commando Brigade (Çakırsöğüt, Şırnak)
** 2. Gendarmerie Commando Brigade (Bornova, İzmir)
* Gendarmerie Training Command (Ankara, İncek, Gölbaşı)
** 1. Gendarmerie Training Battalion Command (Aydın)
** 2. Gendarmerie Training Battalion Command (Bilecik)
** 3. Gendarmerie Training Battalion Command (Ezine, Çanakkale)
** 5. Gendarmerie Training Regiment Command (Gölköy, Kastamonu)
** 6. Gendarmerie Commando Training Regiment Command (Kırkağaç, Manisa)
** 7. Gendarmerie Commando Training Regiment Command (Yenifoça, İzmir)
** Gendarmerie Combat Training Battalion Command (Seferihisar, İzmir)
** Gendarmerie Transport Battalion Command (Söğüt, Bilecik)
** 10. Gendarmerie Training Regiment Command (Bornova, İzmir)
** 116. Gendarmerie Private Training Regiment Command (Çanakkale)
** 121. Gendarmerie Training Regiment Command (Serinyol, Antakya)
** 125. Gendarmerie Training Regiment Command (Safranbolu, Karabük)
** Işıklar Gendarmerie NCO High School (Bursa) ( was established in 1845 as "Mekteb-i Fünun-u İdadi"')
** Gendarmerie Horse and Dog Training Center Command (Nevşehir) (JAKEM)
* Gendarmerie Logistics Command (Güvercinlik, Ankara)
* Gendarmerie Aviation Command (Güvercinlik, Ankara)
** Gendarmerie UAV Command (Elazığ)
* Gendarmerie Special Public Security Command (JÖAK)
** Gendarmerie Special Operations (JÖH)
** Gendarmerie Search and Rescue Battalion Command (JAK)
** Gendarmerie Underwater Search and Rescue Teams (SAK)
** Gendarmerie Public Security Boat Commands (Security and public order services at inland waters are carried out by the Gendarmerie Public Order Boat Commands.)
* Village guards
* Prison Gendarmerie Division Commands (There are garrison stations appointed in every prison)
* The Gendarmerie Band Command

### Criminal units

* Provincial Gendarmerie Commands in 81 provinces & in 388 districts.
** The Crime Scene Investigation Teams (CSIT) (Working under the Provincial and District Gendarmerie Commands systematically examine the crime scene by means of technical and scientific methods; properly gather physical evidences; pack and send them to forensic laboratories.)
** Explosive Ordnance Disposal Teams ( which have been established in tourism regions, regions with a concentration of terror incidents and big cities, dispose of explosive ordnances.)
** Crime scene investigation units
** Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department (ASOCD)
* Gendarmerie Intelligence Organization

### Other units

* Gendarmerie Traffic Teams
** The Gendarmerie Motorcycled Public Order Teams (Round-the-clock at the highways established by the protocols in the responsibility areas of the Gendarmerie General Command.)
* Gendarmerie Dog Teams
* Gendarmerie Environmental Protection Teams (Environmental Protection Teams have been established in order to protect environment, ecological balance and natural life, to protect living species and areas protected by national legislation and international conventions and to prevent environmental pollution.)
* The Gendarmerie Mounted Units (Used in performing patrolling services at resort areas, forestlands, recreation spots and museums (Topkapı Palace), and in performing preventive law enforcement services.)

## Jurisdiction

The Gendarmerie General Command has jurisdiction over 93 percent of Turkey's territory, focusing on rural and border areas, and serves approximately 20 percent of the population. The remaining areas fall under the jurisdiction of the police department.
Led by a four-star general and organized into multiple commands, the Gendarmerie comprises nearly 195,218 to 200,000 personnel. It plays a central role in maintaining security in rural regions that are often targeted by criminal groups for smuggling, human and drug trafficking. The Gendarmerie is a member of the NATO Stability Policing Centre of Excellence (NATO SP COE) and the International Association of Gendarmeries and Police Forces with Military Status (FIEP).

## Ranks
### Officers

| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF-1 | OF-1 | OF-1 | OF-1 | OF-1 |
| Turkish Gendarmerie vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Turkish Gendarmerie vte | | | Orgeneral | Orgeneral | Korgeneral | Korgeneral | Tümgeneral | Tümgeneral | Tuğgeneral | Tuğgeneral | Albay | Albay | Yarbay | Yarbay | Binbaşı | Binbaşı | Yüzbaşı | Yüzbaşı | Üsteğmen | Üsteğmen | Teğmen | Teğmen | Asteğmen | Asteğmen |

### Other Ranks

| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-9 | OR-9 | OR-9 | OR-9 | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-6 | OR-6 | OR-6 | OR-6 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-5 | OR-5 | OR-5 | OR-5 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-4 | OR-4 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-2 | OR-2 | OR-2 | OR-2 | OR-2 | OR-1 | OR-1 |
| Turkish Gendarmerie vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Uzman Çavuş IV Uzman Çavuş III Uzman Çavuş II Uzman Çavuş I | Uzman Çavuş IV Uzman Çavuş III Uzman Çavuş II Uzman Çavuş I | | | | | | | | | | |
| Turkish Gendarmerie vte | Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş | Astsubay başçavuş | Astsubay başçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş | Astsubay üstçavuş | Astsubay üstçavuş | Astsubay üstçavuş | Astsubay üstçavuş | Astsubay üstçavuş | Astsubay üstçavuş | Astsubay kıdemli çavuş | Astsubay kıdemli çavuş | Astsubay kıdemli çavuş | Astsubay çavuş | Astsubay çavuş | Astsubay çavuş | Uzman Jandarma Kademeli Çavuş | Uzman Jandarma Kademeli Çavuş | Uzman Çavuş IV Uzman Çavuş III Uzman Çavuş II Uzman Çavuş I | Uzman Çavuş IV Uzman Çavuş III Uzman Çavuş II Uzman Çavuş I | Uzman onbaşı | Uzman onbaşı | | | | | | | | |

## The Gendarmerie Museum

The Gendarmerie Museum is established in order to reflect the developments in periodical order beginning with the foundation of the Gendarmerie organization; to exhibit its activities, heroic deeds, services in the history; to protect all kinds of military cultural assets related to the Gendarmerie by collecting them and to transfer them to the future generations. The Gendarmerie Museum in the Beytepe Lieutenant General İsmail SELEN Quarters in Ankara and is open to public.

## Equipment
### Handguns

* Sarsilmaz SAR 9
* Canik TP9
* Glock 19
* Beretta 92FS

### Shotguns

* SPAS-12
* Sarsılmaz Cobra & Baba
* Armsan Armtac RS A2/A3

### Submachine guns

* HK MP5
* P90
* SAR-109T
* Uzi

### Assault and battle rifles

* AKM
* Galil MAR - used by commandos
* HK G3 - primary conscript rifle.
* HK G41
* HK33A4
* KCR-556 - primary service rifle.
* M16A1
* M4A1
* MPT-55
* MPT-76

### Machine guns

* HK23E
* RPK
* M249 SAW
* M2
* MG3
* PKM
* MAG 58
* SAR 762 MT
* Canik M2 QCB
* Type 80
* KMG556

### Sniper rifles

* Arctic Warfare
* SVD
* Tac-50
* SR-25
* SR-15 Match
* HK G28
* Armalite M-15T
* IMI Galatz
* Accuracy International AWM
* LMT MWS 308
* MKEK JNG-90
* Robar RC-50
* MacMillan M87R
* PSL (rifle)
* KNT-76

### Rocket and grenade launchers

* HK 69
* HK 79
* HK GLM
* M203
* Milkor MGL
* Mk 19
* RPG-7 7B
* AK-40GL
* Kale KGL40
* MKEK 40mm
* MKEK T40

### Mortars

* M19
* M29
* Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1
* Aselsan Alkar

### Directed energy weapon

* JARMOL-Laser weapon

### Anti-drone system

* ASELSAN IHTAR KARTAL-2

### Unmanned ground vehicles

* COŞKUN - EOD robot
* ASLAN - Medium class UGV with integrated AVAZ long-range sonic weapon

### Vehicles and Aerial vehicles

| Model | Image | Origin/Assembly | Type | Variant | Quantity | Details |
| Patrol vehicles |||||||
| TOGG | | Turkey | Electric Patrol vehicle | SUV | N/A | |
| BMC Tulga | | Turkey | Armoured patrol vehicle | SUV | | Expected to enter the inventory of Gendarmerie 2025.It will be produced 300 in total. |
| Isuzu D-Max | | Japan Turkey | Patrol vehicle | Pick-up | N/A | |
| Dacia Duster | | France Romania Turkey | Patrol vehicle | SUV | N/A | |
| Fiat Egea | | Italy Turkey | Patrol vehicle | Sedan | 50 | |
| Fiat Doblo | | Italy Turkey | Patrol vehicle | Bus | 50 | |
| Reanult Megane | | France Turkey | Traffic patrol vehicle | Sedan | N/A | |
| Renault Fluence | | France Turkey | Traffic patrol vehicle | Sedan | N/A | |
| Toyota Corolla | | Japan Turkey | Traffic patrol vehicle | Sedan | N/A | |
| Mitsubishi Triton | | Japan Turkey | Traffic patrol vehicle | Pick-up | N/A | |
| Nisan Navara | | Japan Turkey | Traffic patrol vehicle | Pick-up | N/A | |
| Ford Ranger | | United States Turkey | Patrol vehicle | Pick-up | N/A | |
| Ford Transit Custom | | United States Turkey | Patrol vehicle | Van | N/A | |
| Ford Transit | | United States Turkey | Patrol vehicle | Van | N/A | |
| Honda Africa Twin | | Japan Turkey | Patrol Motorbike | CRF1000L | N/A | |
| BMW R1200 | | Germany Turkey | Patrol Motorbike | R1200 GS | N/A | |
| Armoured vehicles |||||||
| Sisu Nasu | | Finland | Tracked All-Terrain Vehicle | NA-140 BT | 47 | |
| BMC Kirpi | | Turkey | MRAP | Kirpi Kirpi II | 200 200 | Integrated JARMOL Directed energy weapon on Kirpi 1. It can be combined with IHTAR KARTAL-2 anti-drone system. |
| BMC Vuran | | Turkey | MRAP | Vuran 4x4 Vuran Alkar | 240 | BMC Vuran armored vehicle with Mobile Adjustable Ramp System. The Gendarmerie took delivery of the VURAN vehicles mounted on the ALKAR 120mm Mortar Weapon System. Mobile mortar capability will be gained with ALKAR-mounted VURAN vehicles. |
| Nurol Ejder | | Turkey | MRAP | Ejder Yalçın 4x4 | 200 | |
| Katmerciler Hızır | | Turkey | MRAP | | 57 | Border patrol vehicle. |
| Otokar Cobra | | Turkey | Infantry Mobility Vehicle | Cobra I Cobra II | 200 100 | |
| Otokar Ural | - | Turkey | Armoured patrol vehicle | | N/A | |
| Otokar Akrep | - | Turkey | Armoured Patrol vehicle | | 100 | Based on Shorland. |
| FNSS PARS | | Turkey | Armoured fighting vehicle | PARS SCOUT | 0/5 | Expected delivery of 5 AFV. |
| TOMA | | Turkey | Armoured vehicle | | N/A | Community Incident Intervention Vehicle. |
| Dragoon | | United States | Amphibious Armoured fighting vehicle | Dragoon 300 | 150 | |
| Engineering vehicle |||||||
| MEMATT | - | Turkey | Demining vehicle | | 2 | |
| Aircraft |||||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | | United States | Light transport/ Reconnaissance aircraft | B350ISR | 3 | 3 B350ISR are leased. Used by Gendarmerie Aviation Command |
| Cessna C-680 | | United States | Light transport aircraft | C-680 | 1 | 3 B350ISR are leased. Used by Gendarmerie Aviation Command |
| AQUILA A212 | | Germany | Light aircraft/Trainer aircraft | A212 | 1 | New variant in use. |
| TAI Hürkuş | | Turkey | Light attack | Hürkuş-C | | Planned acquisition. |
| Helicopters |||||||
| TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK | | Turkey Italy | Attack helicopter | T-129B | 13 | 24 in total planned. |
| Sikorsky-S70 Black Hawk | | United States Turkey | Medium Transport/Utility helicopter | S-70A-D28 | 12 | Avionics upgraded by ASELSAN. |
| Sikorsky-S70 Black Hawk | | United States Turkey | Medium Transport/Utility helicopter | S-70i | 2 | |
| Sikorsky-S70 Black Hawk | | United States Turkey | Medium Transport/Utility helicopter | T-70 | 4/33 | 33 T-70 ordered. |
| TAI T625 Gökbey | | Turkey | Light Transport/Utility Helicopter | T625 | 3 | It will replace UH-1 Huey helicopters. |
| UH-1 Huey | | United States | Utility helicopter/Transport | AB-205A | 10 | Avionics upgraded by ASELSAN. |
| Mil Mi-17 | | Russia | Transport/Utility helicopter | Mi-17 IVA | 18 | Avionics upgraded by ASELSAN. Upgraded with night vision system. |
| Gyrocopter |||||||
| Autogyro Cavalon | | Germany | Reconnaissance/Surveillance | | 3 | 6 more planned. |
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicles |||||||
| TAI Anka | | Turkey | UCAV | Anka S | 8 | Elazig Gendarmerie UAV command |
| Bayraktar TB2 | | Turkey | UCAV | TB2 | 18 | |
| STM KARGU | | Turkey | Loitering munition | Kargu-2 | N/A | |
| Baykar Bayraktar Mini | | Turkey | Miniature UAV | C | N/A | |
| UÇBEY | - | Turkey | VTOL UAV | | N/A | |
| Black Hornet Nano | | Norway | Micro-UAV | PD-100 Black Hornet | N/A | |
Additional info : Gendarmerie also acquired 130 basic and 5 professional Micro UAV systems.
Planned acquisition : Planned acquisition of new liaison and utility aircraft. Planned acquisition of 10 + 5 optional training aircraft.

## Surface Combatant

Boat :
| Name | Origin | Quantity | Type | Details |
| ASBOT KN-35 | Turkey | 10 | Security Boat | ASBOT KN-35 boats were designed and developed by ASFAT A.Ş. for the units belonging to the Gendarmerie General Command. |

## Retired/Reserve

Archived 2023-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
Vehicles : Otokar Akrep - 250+, BTR-60 - 180, BTR-80 - 295, Condor - 25
Aircraft : Cessna O-1E Bird Dog, Dornier Do-28D - 2
Helicopters : Bell 212 - 1, Bell 206 - 8

## Gallery

* Gendarmerie's Ford Transit and a trooper
* Traffic gendarmerie's Renault Megane
* Gendarmerie interceptor
* Jandarma Barracks in Sivas built in 1908
* Gendarmerie museum
* BTR-80 in the gendarmerie inventory
* Gendarme School emblem
* Logo of Işıklar Gendarmerie NCO Vocational School
* Gendarmerie Search and Rescue Battalion Command teams during Soma mine disaster
* Işıklar Gendarmerie NCO Vocational School
* Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy
* Gendarmerie Martyrs' Memorial
* The Kızılırmak Delta is guarded by the mounted gendarme team
* Sikorsky S-70i helicopter of the Turkish Gendarmerie