Turkish parliament approved a bill exempting policemen from military service late on Friday, Anadolu News Agency reported.
Police officers who have served at least 10 years in the department, will be exempt from mandatory military service under the new law.
Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay said that police officers got a long training on security and served in this field, stating that police officers already fulfilled a duty similar to military service.
According to the law on the military service duty of Turkish police officers, draft and recruitment procedures will be delayed for the personnel working under the classification of security services at the central and provincial organizations of the Police Department; those who currently receive education at police training institutions and will resume duty at the Department upon graduation; as well as those who have been successful in the entry examinations of these institutions but have not performed military service yet.
Among these individuals, the ones who have completed a 10-year service period at the Police Department will be considered to have performed military service.
The law will also cover police officers who are serving and studying abroad.