Culture and subculture in the Turkish police force

This study analyses the relationship in Turkey between police deviancy and police culture. It is argued that deviant individuals are able to excuse their deviant practices in an environment that provides them ample opportunity. The study demonstrates that police misconduct is a matter of institutional facilitation and organisational responsibility, more so than a matter of individual deviance. The 'bad apple theory' merely provides an attempt to normalise or invent plausible excuses for deviant conduct by the police authorities. On the contrary, it is argued that police violence is culturally rooted in the operational code that exists within groups of police officers. It is due to such an operational code that allows violence in certain situations to be regarded as a logical, acceptable or at the very least, a condonable form of behaviour.;Hence, from this perspective, for positive development to be effective, it must be targeted at the informal culture of the police and their practical working rules, as opposed to the cosmetic legislative changes and initiatives aimed at public relations.;Consequently, this study explores the Turkish police culture and shows that the element of 'authority' is almost a single dominant factor behind the occupational culture of the police officers' - despite two elements: danger and authority. It is these two elements, which marks it apart from police cultures in England and Wales and the United States. The core characteristics of the Turkish police culture are closely related to police officers' authority to that of a 'man in charge'. Police violence is thus deemed an almost inevitable tool in defence of this mandate, and to subsequently prevent an erosion of authority. Thus, in order to understand this mentality of Turkish police officers, the historical development of their role has also been emphasised.