Police Special Operation Department
| Polis Özel Harekât Dairesi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1983–present |
| Country |  Turkey |
| Branch | General Directorate of Security |
| Type | Police tactical unit |
| Size | 22,000 |
| Part of | Respective municipality-level police departments |
| Garrison/HQ | Ankara, Turkey |
| Nicknames | PÖH, Üç Harfliler[citation needed] |
| Mascot | Eagle |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Selami Türker |
| Notable commanders | Behçet Oktay |
The Police Special Operations Department (Turkish: Polis Özel Harekât Dairesi) or Police Special Action[1] (Turkish: Polis Özel Harekât), abbreviated as PÖH, is a police tactical unit of the General Directorate of Security in Turkey.
History
The PÖH was founded in 1983[2] as "Special Operations Office" (Turkish: Özel Harekat Şube Müdürlüğü), under the command of Department of Public Security.
In larger cities like Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir, "Special Operations Group Authorities "(Turkish: Özel Harekat Grup Amirlikleri) were organized in the same year.
As a result of changing conditions, in 1987, the office was transferred to the Anti-Terrorism and Operations Department under the name "Special Operations Branch" (Turkish: Özel Harekat Şubesi).
In 1993, the Special Operations Branch was promoted to a department and gained its current structuring.[3]
İbrahim Şahin was head of the Department until being forced to resign in 1996 over the Susurluk scandal. Ayhan Çarkın was a notable member of the department in the 1990s.
Organisation
The force consists of 22,000 personnel, more than a thousand of whom are women.[4]
It is also deployed as part of the Turkish occupation of northern Syria.[5]
Training
To qualify for PÖH, an applicant must:
- Run the 2500m designated area with a backpack weighing 10 kg, under 15 minutes
- Have 50% minimum accuracy in pistol and rifle shooting
- Swim 150 m without stopping
- Be between ages 18 and 32
- Have graduated from police high school or university
In addition, a training simulation called TAKSİS is conducted by TÜBİTAK.[6]
After 6 months of training, the applicant will receive a certificate officially identifying himself as an operator of PÖH.[7]
Tactics
Police Special Operation Department is one of a handful of security forces in the world which employs active front line female squad members in combat operations.[8]
Equipment
Vehicles
References
- ^ Joost Jongerden, The Settlement Issue in Turkey and the Kurds: An Analysis of Spatial Policies, Modernity and War, Brill, 2007, p. 70.
- ^ "Kuruluşumuz". egm.gov.tr. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "EGM - Özel Harekat Daire Başkanlığı". Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "Emniyetin yiğit kadınları: Kadın Polis Özel Harekat". trthaber.com (in Turkish). 16 January 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
- ^ "Turkish police special forces put on media display". Ahval. March 2018.
- ^ "TAKSİS - Taktik Eğitim Sistemi". Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ Özel harekat polisine, 6 aylık zorlu eğitim, 19 September 2019, retrieved 25 June 2023
- ^ "2021 Özel Harekat Polisi Olma Şartları Neler? (Nasıl Olunur?) (GÜNCEL)". Sartlarineler.com (in Turkish). 20 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "STUNNING Special Forces Weapons and Training | MPT-76 | SAR-109T | SAR 56 | SAR 762 MT - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "American Rifleman - Akdal MKA 1919 Shotgun". Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ POLiS Özel Harekat Timi. YouTube. 11 April 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "Soldier shooting training". Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ^ "STUNNING Special Forces Weapons and Training | MPT-76 | SAR-109T | SAR 56 | SAR 762 MT - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "MPT 76 SH - Sarsılmaz Silah". www.sarsilmaz.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "PÖH milli keskin nişancı tüfeklerini kullanıyor - M5 Dergi". m5dergi.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "STUNNING Special Forces Weapons and Training | MPT-76 | SAR-109T | SAR 56 | SAR 762 MT - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Özel harekâta özel silah - Şanliurfa Haberleri". Şanliurfa Haberleri. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "SURİYE'DEKİ MUHALİF ÖRGÜTLERİN ASKERİ KAPASİTESİ: SİLAH TÜRLERİ VE SİLAHLANMA - PDF Free Download".
- ^ "Accuracy International AX50 in use with Turkish Law Enforcement". Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ "PÖH milli keskin nişancı tüfeklerini kullanıyor - M5 Dergi". m5dergi.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Steyr SSG 08". Archived from the original on 4 November 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ Kula, Mehmet Ali (13 September 2022). "Türkiye, Çin'den 3 binden fazla makineli tüfek aldı!". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "STUNNING Special Forces Weapons and Training | MPT-76 | SAR-109T | SAR 56 | SAR 762 MT - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Police Car". Archived from the original (JPG) on 1 March 2020.
- ^ "EGM Havacılık Daire Başkanlığımızın ilk Atak T129 helikopteri teslim edildi".