37 Provincial Police Chiefs Appointments (2025)

On 11 September 2025, a Presidential Decree published in the Official Gazette introduced a comprehensive reassignment of duties within the security organizations across Türkiye. According to the decree, 37 new provincial police directors were appointed, while the police directors of 22 provinces were recalled to the central headquarters. The appointments were based on Articles 2 and 3 of Presidential Decree No. 3. With the decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan entering into force, some directors were elevated to higher positions, and significant leadership changes occurred in numerous provinces.

Officials Recalled to Central Headquarters

Under the Presidential Decree, the police directors of 22 provinces were transferred to the authority of the General Directorate of Security and recalled to central headquarters. Among those recalled are Serdar Büyükleblebici, Police Director of Şırnak; Ünsal Hayal, Police Director of Bartın; Ortaç Şekeroğlu, Police Director of Bitlis; Kadir Yırtar, Police Director of Erzurum; Mehmet Ali Kolcu, Police Director of Uşak; Burhan Akçay, Police Director of Sivas; and Arif Çankal, Police Director of Malatya. Additionally, İlker Arslan, Police Director of Antalya, was recalled to central headquarters following his arrest after an investigation was initiated against him.

The list of those recalled also includes Alper Uzman, Police Director of Adıyaman; Erdoğan Kartal, Police Director of Kırşehir; Mehmet Ali Hasan Köse, Police Director of Karabük; Ali Canbolat, Police Director of Muğla; Selçuk Doğuş, Police Director of Sakarya; Hakan Yılmaz, Police Director of Bilecik; Kenan Kurt, Police Director of Çanakkale; Mustafa Emre Başbuğ, Police Director of Kırıkkale; and Tacettin Çelebi, Police Director of Giresun. Murat Esertürk, Police Director of Trabzon; Kamil Karabörk, Police Director of Mersin; Hakan Duman, Police Director of Tunceli; Cemal Dalman, Police Director of Bolu; and Cebrail Buğday, Police Director of Mardin, were also assigned to the authority of the General Directorate of Security.

Newly Appointed Police Directors

Simultaneously, 37 new police directors were appointed to provincial directorates under the decree. Sabit Akın Zaimoğlu was appointed Police Director of Antalya; Nurettin Gökduman of Diyarbakır; Gökalp Şener of Bilecik; Yılmaz İpar of Bolu; Mehmet Ömür Saka of Sakarya; İdris Yılmaz of Mersin; Hüseyin Adatepe of Bartın; and Kadir Gökce of Bursa.

Kayhan Ay was appointed Police Director of Malatya; Ali Loğoğlu of Trabzon; Serkan Karaman of Nevşehir; Recep Tecimer of Mardin; Onur Karaburun of Erzurum; Hasan Yiğit of Kahramanmaraş; Süleyman Karadeniz of Muğla; Tamer Taş of Kastamonu; and Rüştü Yılmaz of Hatay. Additionally, Ergün Dağıstanlı was appointed Police Director of Çanakkale; Şükrü Yaman of Balıkesir; Muhittin Ayhan of Edirne; Taner Çiftçi of Uşak; and Oğuz Tüzün of Ardahan.

Chief Police Inspectors were also assigned to new roles. Göksel Önder was appointed to Ağrı; Murat Abdullah Tombul to Kars; Atilla Ayata to Hakkari; Murat Güneş to Artvin; Volkan Sazak to Şırnak; Mustafa Işık to Kırıkkale; Koray Şensoy to Bitlis; Ahmet Alaağaçlı to Sivas; Arzum Nazman to Adıyaman; Mesut Görücü to Kırşehir; Ahmet Canver to Karabük; Melih Kuzudişli to Muş; Necmettin Koç to Yozgat; Ferhat Akbaş to Giresun; and Kazım Günay Demiralay to Tunceli.

Appointments to Higher Positions

The Presidential Decree also introduced new assignments not only within provincial police directorates but also within the General Directorate of Security. Fatih Kaya, Police Director of Diyarbakır, was appointed Deputy Director General of Security.

Additionally, Chief Police Inspector Cemil Çamlıbel was assigned to the First Legal Advisory Office of the General Directorate of Security. Thus, new appointments were made at the central level in both administrative and legal domains, resulting in personnel changes at the upper echelons of the organization.

Ministry Statement

Following the publication of the decree, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya made a statement on his social media account, evaluating the personnel changes. Yerlikaya extended best wishes to the newly appointed and relocated directors, emphasizing that the security organization will continue its uninterrupted efforts to ensure the peace and security of the country.