NCJ Number
225145
Date Published
2007
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses Turkey’s implementation of democratic policing principles in areas of the country where PKK terrorism (Kurdish separatist group) is prevalent, so as to reduce tension between the public and law enforcement agencies and restore public trust in the police that has been undermined by efforts to counter PKK terrorism.
Abstract
The paper first reviews the history and characteristics of PKK terrorism in Turkey, which began with the formation of the Worker’s Party of Kurdistan in November 1978. The PKK was founded for the purpose of staging a communist revolution through armed struggle against the Turkish Government that would eventually produce a separate Kurdish communist state. This section of the paper describes PKK ideology, structure, and strategy. This is followed by a description of Turkey’s counterterrorism strategies, including proactive measures, reactive measures, and the democratization project. The paper concludes with a description of the implementation of democratic policing in Turkey as a remedy for the deterioration of public trust in the police due to a heavy-handed approach in police in suppressing PKK terrorism. In outlining the principles of democratic policing, the paper lists the four norms of democratic policing cited by Bayley. First, police must give top priority to servicing the needs of individual citizens and private groups. Second, police must be accountable to the law rather than to the government. Third, police must protect human rights, particularly regarding freedom for political activity. Fourth, police should be transparent in their activities. This paper recommends that the police focus on establishing police-community partnerships in an effort to identify and address problems as the community perceives them, with a focus on those communities in areas of the country where PKK terrorism is prevalent. 28 references