Jandarma

Jandarma, or Gendarmerie, is a Turkish law enforcement and military police force responsible for public order and security in rural areas and on roads outside urban centers. It operates as a gendarmerie, combining military organization with civilian policing powers, and in peacetime reports to the Ministry of Interior, while wartime authority passes to the Turkish Armed Forces.

Origins date to 1839 during the Ottoman reforms as part of the Tanzimat era; the modern Jandarma General Command was established after the founding of the Republic. It is headquartered in Ankara and organized along territorial lines with divisions at regional and provincial levels.

Key duties include maintaining public order in rural districts, crime prevention, traffic control on secondary roads, border security and counter-smuggling, disaster response, and support to civilian authorities during natural disasters. It also conducts investigations, intelligence, and special operations, including counter-terrorism against insurgent groups, as part of national security policies.

Structure includes the Jandarma General Command, regional commands, and specialized units such as criminal police, traffic, riot-control, and an aviation section. The service cooperates with the Turkish Police (Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü) and other security agencies and reserves resources for cross-border operations along Turkey's long national border.

Personnel are recruited as enlisted and officers, with training at dedicated academies and schools within the Jandarma system. The Jandarma has undergone modernization programs to improve patrol capabilities, digital forensics, and rapid response.