Police Academy recruitment for neighborhood watch officers pending

As of October 2026, the official recruitment schedule for new neighborhood watch officers (bekçi) has not yet been announced by the Police Academy. While thousands of candidates are awaiting updates, official application dates and quotas will only be confirmed once the formal announcement is released.

According to current regulations, candidates must be citizens, have at least a high school diploma, and meet specific age requirements: they must have completed 18 years of age by January 1st of the exam year and not yet have reached their 31st birthday. Other criteria, such as military service status and residency requirements in specific provinces, are expected to be detailed in the upcoming official guide.

New regulations published in the Official Gazette have also standardized working conditions. The weekly working hours for watch officers are now fixed at 40 hours, with duties primarily focused on night patrols from sunset to sunrise.