Turkey’s private security force exceeds the police force

A recent statement by Turkey’s Interior Ministry given as an answer to independent MP Aylin Nazlıaka reveals that the private security force in the country has exceeded the country’s police force.

According to latest data released by the Ministry, there were 146,474 private security guards in 2011. This year, this number has reached 284,399, which has placed the private security force as the second largest security body in the country.

The information provided by the Ministry regarding the number of staff on duty in private security forces came as a response to a parliamentary question of independent lawmaker Aylin Nazlıaka, as Sinan Tartanoğlu from Cumhuriyet reported.

The Ministry’s answer to MP Nazlıaka also indicated that the are currently 992,721 people granted a license as a private guard, with 624,099 armed and 368,622 not armed. Of this total number of guards, 284,399 are actively on duty.

Though Turkey’s current president Erdoğan had asserted, in 2015, that he was for the complete elimination of the sector for private security forces, the number of people on duty in the sector increased by over 90% since 2011.

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/ozel-guvenlik-ordusu-sayilari-emniyet-i-solladi-176222.html