New point-based system to guide police assignments

ANKARA

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced a new police assignment system that will rely on a duty points model, aiming to ensure "fairness" in transfers and appointments across the country.

The regulation will affect more than 22,000 personnel, including chief commissioners, commissioners, deputy commissioners, senior chief police officers, chief police officers and police officers, Yerlikaya said on May 26 at an event in Ankara.

Under the new system, duty points are calculated by multiplying a daily duty place score with the number of days worked in a unit over the past year.

The daily score factors in the socioeconomic development ranking of provinces and districts, a provincial preference score based on assignment trends over the past five years and a workload score determined by the number of incidents per officer in each unit.

“This system will provide a point advantage to personnel working under difficult conditions,” Yerlikaya said.

“In provinces with high populations and heavy duty such as Istanbul, and in eastern provinces, our personnel are given more points and are provided with an advantageous position in the assignment ranking.”

The move follows similar duty points systems adopted for teachers and healthcare workers.

Additionally, the system will notify personnel of their assignments via SMS, with notifications sent within an hour.

“Appointments and transfers will be made according to the needs of the security forces wherever they are needed,” Yerlikaya said. “With this system, assignments will be fairer and will be made according to equality and transparency criteria.”