Istanbul’s top cop becomes governor
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by SAYGI ÖZTÜRK
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 13, 2009 00:00
ANKARA- The controversial head of the Istanbul police was appointed as the new governor of the southern province of Osmaniye yesterday, with some commenting that this was a demotion caused by his term in Istanbul.
Celalettin Cerrah was criticized for May 1 violence in 2006, 2007 and 2008, for claims of ignoring tip-offs concerning the murder of journalist Hrant Dink in 2007, and lastly, for the recent murder of a teenage girl and his comment that the parents should have kept a closer eye on her.
With Cerrah’s appointment as the governor of Osmaniye, the Interior Ministry tradition since 1999 of not appointing police chiefs as governors is broken. The ministry publishes a list of police chiefs and governors every year, announcing their promotion or demotion to other cities. Cerrah was one of two police chiefs appointed as a governor; the other was Deputy Chief of National Police Ali Kolat as the new governor of the central Anatolian province of Sivas.
Demotion or reward
This may result in police chiefs campaigning for governorships every year, which was the main reason the practice was discontinued. While many see Cerrah’s new appointment as a demotion, experts believe being appointed a governor was a reward for Cerrah. There is no obstacle preventing him from being re-appointed as Istanbul’s police chief with the title of governor, which he will not lose.
A governorship entitles Cerrah to enjoy many immunities and benefits. Prosecutors will not be able charge him, and only the Supreme Court of Appeals has the authority to try him.
Additionally, a police chief has to retire at the age of 60, according to the law. For governors, the retirement age is 65. If he had remained the police chief, he would have had to retire in four years, but now he has nine more years.
One ministry official said: "Governorship is a special post. There is no law preventing any literate citizen from being appointed as a governor. Especially when terrorism escalated in the 1990s, there was a lack of viable candidates for governors in the Southeast with experience in security. This pushed the ministry to look at police chiefs. However, after a while, the regional precondition was also waived. There were police chiefs campaigning to become governors, and this had serious negative consequences. Some were accused of exploiting the information they received as police chiefs. In 1999, this practice was discontinued."
The official said Cerrah's appointment has set a bad precedent.
Another official said now that Cerrah had received the title of governor, if he returned to Istanbul as the police chief, which is a possibility, he would be much more powerful.
Tunceli Gov. Mustafa Yaman, who was criticized for distributing state aid to the poor just before elections and was being accused of pro-government propaganda, was posted to serve as the governor of Giresun on the Black Sea.
With Cerrah’s appointment as the governor of Osmaniye, the Interior Ministry tradition since 1999 of not appointing police chiefs as governors is broken. The ministry publishes a list of police chiefs and governors every year, announcing their promotion or demotion to other cities. Cerrah was one of two police chiefs appointed as a governor; the other was Deputy Chief of National Police Ali Kolat as the new governor of the central Anatolian province of Sivas.
Demotion or reward
This may result in police chiefs campaigning for governorships every year, which was the main reason the practice was discontinued. While many see Cerrah’s new appointment as a demotion, experts believe being appointed a governor was a reward for Cerrah. There is no obstacle preventing him from being re-appointed as Istanbul’s police chief with the title of governor, which he will not lose.
A governorship entitles Cerrah to enjoy many immunities and benefits. Prosecutors will not be able charge him, and only the Supreme Court of Appeals has the authority to try him.
Additionally, a police chief has to retire at the age of 60, according to the law. For governors, the retirement age is 65. If he had remained the police chief, he would have had to retire in four years, but now he has nine more years.
One ministry official said: "Governorship is a special post. There is no law preventing any literate citizen from being appointed as a governor. Especially when terrorism escalated in the 1990s, there was a lack of viable candidates for governors in the Southeast with experience in security. This pushed the ministry to look at police chiefs. However, after a while, the regional precondition was also waived. There were police chiefs campaigning to become governors, and this had serious negative consequences. Some were accused of exploiting the information they received as police chiefs. In 1999, this practice was discontinued."
The official said Cerrah's appointment has set a bad precedent.
Another official said now that Cerrah had received the title of governor, if he returned to Istanbul as the police chief, which is a possibility, he would be much more powerful.
Tunceli Gov. Mustafa Yaman, who was criticized for distributing state aid to the poor just before elections and was being accused of pro-government propaganda, was posted to serve as the governor of Giresun on the Black Sea.