Police commissioner Bekir Önsal, who stood 700 soldiers on the July 15 coup night in İzmir, has been promoted to superintendent.
On the night of July 15 Önsal had stood in the way of 500 armed military academy students and 200 soldiers who were told by their pro-coup officers that they were heading for a military exercise.
Önsal and a few other police men blockaded the road when the military convoy attempted to leave their camp in Urla district to surround the governorate of İzmir. Önsal stopped the troops after closing the road to traffic.
Commanding colonel Enver Topal who was leading the soldiers in the attempted coup said to Önsal, ''Brave commissioner, will you stop us with your pistol?''
Önsal answered to Colonel Topal, ''I have people in my family who already fell for this country, I do not mind being one of them and my family would be proud of it. I have 13 bullets in in my gun magazine, and they will be for you.''
As a result of Önsal's firm stance the troops had no choice but to return to their barracks. In the aftermath of the failed coup attempt of July 15, the public prosecutor's office launched a probe against Col. Topal and other alleged officers involved in the attempt.
It later appeared that Police Commissioner Ünsal had been impeded by the Gülenist Teror Group (FETÖ) for several years. After discharges which followed the coup attempt, the Supreme Police Council has promoted Önsal as superintendent.
Turkey witnessed a bloody coup attempt on July 15, which left more than 240 people dead and wounding more than 2,000. The coup was organized by a small military junta linked to FETÖ.
Since 2013, FETÖ has declared war on Turkey and attempted three coups, through agents who infiltrated Turkish state institutions, including the judiciary, police, military and civil service.
FETÖ is designated as a national threat and terrorist cult, and stands accused of a long sheet of crimes, the latest being the July 15 coup attempt.
