for police supervisors? Outcomes of an uncommon two‐track promotion system in the Turkish National Police

Abstract

This paper aims to assess the outcomes of a relatively unconventional police supervisor promotion system used by the Turkish National Police (TNP). In the Turkish promotional system most TNP supervisors come into their positions directly from a specialized college experience, never having worked as a police officer. At the same time, a limited number of TNP supervisors do come into their positions through promotion up the ranks possessing considerable experience as a line patrol officer. This situation creates an opportunity to assess the consequences of this unconventional police supervisor promotion system for both types of backgrounds. This study is based on a written survey ( n = 812) conducted in Turkey during the summer of 2005. The analyses presented here aim to document differences in the ways these two types of supervisors and their respective subordinates view police policies, operations, and supervisory performance. Several noteworthy differences do emerge from this analysis. Based on the information derived from the survey and related general assessments presented by the author, the possible reasons for these differences are discussed, along with several policy implications and future research directions.