School Police project reduces violence at Ankara schools by 60 percent

The School Police project was launched jointly in 2009 by the Ankara Police Department and the Ankara Provincial Education Directorate. “The project reduced incidents of violence in Ankara schools by 60 percent in the 2011-2012 school year compared to the 2010-2011 school year,” said a recent statement released by the governor's office. It explained that police patrol the areas surrounding all schools in Ankara to prevent any possible violence among students and from outside the school. They are also continuously on duty in all schools in order to provide a safe environment for students and to prevent any kind of physical violence that may occur on school grounds, whether it is committed by students or others.

Police intervened in 321 violent incidents in and around schools in Ankara that involved a total of 559 students and 207 others in the 2010-2011 academic year, while the number of incidents requiring police intervention has seen a decrease to 70, involving 132 students and 88 others, so far in the current academic year, according to the statement.

The governor's office added that a total of 128 security officers were assigned to 128 schools in the 2009-2010 school year. In the 2010-2011 academic year, there were 145 officers responsible for safety in 145 schools. There are 147 officers serving in 147 schools for the 2011-2012 academic year.