Turkey has put forward an initiative to establish a joint law enforcement body under the working name TÜRKPOL within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). According to available reports, the proposal was put forward by Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya at a meeting of the Council of Interior Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States. The idea is to create a permanent mechanism for interaction between the police and other law enforcement agencies of the member states, which is to operate in a manner analogous to existing international coordination structures.
Ali Yerlikaya's initiative
According to the Turkish minister, TÜRKPOL is intended to become a tool for developing cooperation between the law enforcement structures of the Turkic states. Among the key areas of interaction, the exchange of operational information and the coordination of joint efforts in the fight against crime are mentioned first and foremost. Thus, the structure is viewed not as a replacement for national agencies, but as a supranational coordination layer that links existing police systems into a single network.
A model based on Interpol
The Turkish side explicitly states that the new structure is to be built on the example of international law enforcement mechanisms, in particular Interpol. This means an orientation toward functions such as information exchange, wanted-person databases, mutual legal assistance, and operational interaction, rather than the creation of a single "super-police" force with its own on-the-ground staff. The choice of such a model underscores that the focus is primarily on a coordination and information framework, rather than on the transfer of sovereign powers.
The context of deepening OTS integration
The initiative fits into a broader course of deepening cooperation among the states of the Organization of Turkic States in the sphere of security and law enforcement. Against the backdrop of a general trend toward expanding integration across various fields — from economics to culture — the emergence of a unified law enforcement mechanism is logically perceived as the next step in institutional convergence. Expert assessments discussing the development of the OTS "in depth and breadth" point out that security is becoming one of the priority areas where the organization lacks sustainable working tools.
Significance for the region and next steps
At present, the initiative is at the proposal stage: the structure has not yet been created, and its charter, mandate, and mode of operation still need to be agreed upon among the member states. Nevertheless, the very fact that the idea has been raised to the level of the Council of Interior Ministers indicates Ankara's political will to advance law enforcement integration. For the region, this potentially means more rapid data exchange on criminal groups and a more coordinated response to cross-border threats, although the actual timelines and format of TÜRKPOL will depend on further negotiations within the OTS.
