Seven articles in the first chapter of the proposal towards night-watch of bazaars and neighborhoods is passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Principles related to appointment and nomination process, tasks and competencies, standards of working of bazaars and neighborhoods night-watch are re-adjusted.  Meetings on the complete bill totally consists of 17 articles are finished June 3. In the General Assembly, along with the change in figuration in the 4th article that states “Candidates who become successful in fundamental and preparing training given during the nomination period will be appointed permanently, fundamental and preparing training for guards will be 3 months at least.” Along with the passed articles, basics related to required features of bazaar and neighborhood guards are offered employment, tasks and competencies, and standards of working are arranged.

ARMED ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS: “GUARDS”

According to the bill, bazaar and district guards will be employed as “an armed enforcement officer” to assist general enforcement officers underneath the organizations of Directorate General of Security and gendarme command. Chiefs of bazaar and district guards who are employed by organizations of security and gendarme will be determined by professional hierarchies.

CRITERION FOR BEING SUCCESSFUL

With regard to procedures and principles sanctioned in the regulation issued by The Ministry of Internal Affairs, bazaar and district guards will be employed must satisfy criterion for being successful in entrance exam. Bazaar and neighborhood guards will operate patrol service in districts they have placed during working hours, they will alert “suspicious situations and individuals” to general enforcement officers they belong to.

GUARD PRECAUTION AGAINST DEMONSTRATIONS AND PROTESTS

Also guards will be able to take ‘precautionary measures’ until general enforcement officers’ intervention with the purpose of prevention of demonstrations, marches, protests and social disorder that ‘violates public order’. Nomination period of bazaar and neighborhood guards cannot be open for less than one year and more than two years. Fundamental and preparing training will be given for at least 3 months through the nomination period.

NOMINATION PERIOD

Candidates who cannot qualify in passing each section of the fundamental and preparing training, attitudes and behaviors fail to comport with official service, have excessive nonattendance, and punished with salary reduction and stopped promotion at work during nomination period, will be removed from the official system by the approval of The Ministry of Internal Affairs.

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO STOP PERSONS AND VEHICLES

Bazaar and neighborhood guards will be able to stop persons and vehicles on the condition that they are in their working zone and working hours. This power is given only if there is ‘an acceptable reason’. Detention process could not be applied in the presence of arbitrariness, persistence, and factual case. While bazaar and neighborhood guards do their duty, they should declare themselves to be a bazaar and neighborhood guard, figure out reason of the detention and they can ask citizens questions related to reason of the detention, request from citizens their ID cards and other official documents. Citizens will be treated kindly to provide proof of their identity. Citizen who cannot prove their identity, avoids offering an explanation or make false declaration will be detained and general enforcement officers will be informed immediately.

“THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE STEPS INCLUDING SEARCHING WITH HAND IF IT IS NECESSARY”

Detention process cannot be longer than reasonable duration needed to complete the transaction. Persons and vehicles will be permitted to leave when the reason of detention disappears. Guards will be able to take steps including searching with hand to prevent suspects from causing themselves or other people harm if they have a strong suspicion that detained people are carrying weapon or other dangerous materials. However, guards cannot want citizens to remove their clothes and show compartments of their vehicles invisible from outside.   Translated by Ebrar Başyiğit