A 14-member specialist team in Antalya, southern Türkiye, is training police officers ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), focusing on firearms proficiency, tactical response and operational readiness.
Based at the Antalya Police Department's Training Branch Shooting Range, the team provides theoretical and practical training to prepare officers for challenging situations encountered on duty.
Under annual directives issued by the Police Academy Directorate, approximately 20,000 police officers serving in the city receive technical and tactical firearms training using standard-issue pistols and long-barreled weapons.
The training aims to improve officers' reflexes, decision-making skills and ability to intervene safely under different conditions.
As Antalya prepares to host COP31 on Nov. 9-20, officers practice shooting while moving and changing direction, as well as drills involving vehicle stops, suspect apprehension and vehicle evacuations. The exercises also cover buildings and populated areas.
The team maintains its physical fitness through regular exercise and develops tactics to prepare officers for demanding assignments.
Officers trained by the team, coordinated by Commissioner Nisa Aydın, also serve in counterterrorism, public order and narcotics operations.
The program includes emergency response procedures, suspicious person and vehicle checks, bomb-related training, confined-space exercises and entry techniques.
Aydın, a shooting instructor, said training continued throughout the day through theoretical instruction and practical exercises.
"Our aim is to ensure that our police officers are ready for duty in every situation and can respond to incidents they encounter in a timely and appropriate manner," she said, highlighting the team's discipline and dedication.
Osman Demirtaşlar, a shooting instructor who won the Military category at the 2026 IDPA European Championship in Poland, said training continued in different weather conditions, including rain, heat and cold.
He said the program develops officers' practical skills alongside their mental preparation.
"We invest not only in the mental skills of our personnel but also in their muscle memory. With proper training, we know that officers can develop quick reflexes and acquire the ability to shoot accurately and safely," he said.
Demirtaşlar added that consistent practice and repetition were essential to improving performance.
Mehmet Çiçek, who joined the police force 21 years ago and has worked at the shooting range for eight years, said training helped prevent mistakes during duty.
He emphasized the importance of passing professional knowledge and experience to younger officers.
"Within our organization, there is an understanding expressed as, 'The first mistake you make will be the last mistake you make.' For this reason, we continue our training intensively and with discipline. We also want to pass the torch to future generations and transfer our professional knowledge and experience to them," he said.
Ümran Siper, a shooting instructor who has served in the police force for 27 years, said she continued to approach her profession with the same enthusiasm as on her first day.
She stressed that physical differences do not prevent female officers from fulfilling their responsibilities.
"Women can do everything that men can do. The physical differences between us do not prevent us from performing our duties," she said.
