Ali Gaffar Okkan was a police director who served in various ranks within the Turkish Security Organization, culminating in his appointment as Director of the Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate during the final phase of his career. Throughout his professional life, he held administrative and operational responsibilities in multiple provinces. He is particularly known for his security duties in Diyarbakır during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Over the course of his career, he held various ranks and positions across different provinces, ultimately serving as Director of the Diyarbakır Security Directorate.

Ali Gaffar Okkan was born in 1952 in the Hendek district of Sakarya province. His father was Fikri Okkan and his mother was İmran Okkan; his family were bakers. He began his police training at the Police College and graduated on 30 September 1970. He continued his professional education at the Police Academy and graduated on 29 September 1973.

In subsequent years, he pursued higher education at the Public Administration Department of the Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara University and graduated from this program.

^{Infographic of Ali Gaffar Okkan (}Anadolu Ajansı⁾

After graduating from the Police Academy, Ali Gaffar Okkan was appointed as an assistant commissioner to the Izmir Provincial Security Directorate. During his tenure in Izmir, he worked in various units and assumed administrative and operational responsibilities. He rose through the ranks to the position of police chief and progressively advanced through the organizational hierarchy.

In 1983, he was appointed to the Şanlıurfa Provincial Security Directorate. During his service there, he assumed various administrative responsibilities and was promoted to branch director in 1985, two years later.

In 1986, he was assigned to the Eskişehir Provincial Security Directorate. While serving in this province, he participated in administrative activities and was appointed Deputy Director of Security in 1992. During his time in Eskişehir, he held responsibilities related to the management of the provincial security organization.

On 6 December 1993, Ali Gaffar Okkan was promoted to the rank of First-Class Security Director. Following this promotion, he was appointed Director of the Kars Provincial Security Directorate. During his service in Kars, he served as the highest-ranking official responsible for the province’s security services.

On 18 November 1997, he assumed the position of Director of the Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate, a role he held until his martyrdom on 24 January 2001. This was the longest and most publicly recognized assignment of his career. His tenure in Diyarbakır lasted approximately four years. During this period, he was responsible for overseeing all security services in the province. All activities related to public order, traffic, security, and public safety were conducted under the authority of the Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate.

During his tenure in Diyarbakır, various administrative measures were implemented to enhance security services across the province. Security cameras were installed at key locations throughout the city, enabling monitoring of developments across the urban area. Initiatives were introduced to increase the visibility of the security organization in the field.

Director Ali Gaffar Okkan adopted a management approach centered on direct and continuous engagement with the community. In this spirit, he visited local shopkeepers at night in civilian clothing and personally interacted with citizens in public spaces, sharing his mobile phone number with them.

His friend Bedri Nal said of Gaffar Okkan: “Hazelnut workers would come here, and every one of them, from the youngest to the oldest, had his phone number. He did a lot for children, especially street children. He would tell us about them and derive great joy from helping them. Many people here would say, ‘He is our father.’”^【1】 

Additionally, during field visits in his official vehicle, he would escort elderly individuals he encountered on the road to their homes, using these opportunities to listen to their needs and concerns. These practices facilitated direct communication between the people of Diyarbakır and the security director and improved public access to institutional authorities.

For the first time during this period, measures were introduced to assign female police officers to active field duties. Female officers were deployed in traffic regulation, social patrols, and assistance operations. Specialized vehicles were allocated for these purposes.

Two small service vehicles were acquired and painted in blue and white, with two female officers assigned to each vehicle. One vehicle was used to locate missing children and return them to their families, while the other provided transportation for elderly individuals with limited mobility. These initiatives are regarded as innovative approaches that strengthened the social support dimension of security services.

Throughout his tenure, various social support initiatives were organized for families and students in need. Assistance programs were conducted with contributions from colleagues and philanthropists, direct contact was established with families, and efforts were made to support children of school age. Contact was made with families of children working on the streets to encourage their enrollment in education.

Efforts were made to engage young people in social activities to distance them from terrorist and drug networks. Support was provided to amateur sports clubs. These initiatives were implemented within the framework of programs designed to integrate youth into their social environments.

Ali Gaffar Okkan closely followed the activities of Diyarbakırspor and contributed to the club in various ways. He attended every match the club played whenever possible. At one match, he said: “I am the Director of Diyarbakır Security. My duty is the Security Directorate, but I believe Diyarbakırspor, one of Turkey’s five great clubs, deserves its rightful place. I am a Diyarbakır native through and through.”^【2】 

Journalist Naci Sapan described Ali Gaffar Okkan’s close relationship with Diyarbakırspor as follows: “He believed that Diyarbakırspor becoming champions would have a profound impact on the region, serving as an argument for social peace and unity. Diyarbakırspor eventually became champions, but he was no longer alive. Yet, it was he who laid the groundwork for that championship.”^【3】 

He provided administrative and organizational support during the club’s promotion to the First League. In recognition of his contributions, the Diyarbakırspor management awarded him the honorary title of “Honorary President.”

During his tenure in Diyarbakır, the city’s security situation was closely monitored. Surveillance cameras installed at critical locations enabled continuous observation of public order. These monitoring activities were conducted as part of the coordination framework for security services.

^{Ali Gaffar Okkan at a Press Conference with Weapons and Ammunition Seized in an Operation - April 2000 (Anadolu Ajansı)}

Throughout his tenure, Director Ali Gaffar Okkan regarded the fight against terrorist organizations as a fundamental pillar of security policy. He played an active role in operations targeting the Hizbullah terrorist organization, which had long imposed pressure and fear on the local population. His security initiatives made significant contributions to restoring public order and safety in the city.

During Okkan’s term, the Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate conducted intensive and systematic security operations against terrorist organizations. Numerous operations were carried out targeting cells affiliated primarily with the PKK and Hizbullah. As a result of these operations, various organizational documents and weapons were seized, and many members of these organizations were neutralized.

Due to his strong relationship with the community and his trust-based approach, Okkan gained high legitimacy and respect among the people of Diyarbakır, which made him a direct target of terrorist organizations. Investigations revealed that a planned assassination attempt against Ali Gaffar Okkan was organized following a Diyarbakırspor match, based on statements provided by captured organization members.

In one of his speeches, he said: “I kiss you all through your eyes and love you deeply, I love my organization, I love my flag. I am ready to die for every officer and for every family member.”^【4】 

On 24 January 2001 at approximately 17:40, while traveling in his official vehicle from the Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate toward the Governor’s Office, Ali Gaffar Okkan was attacked by armed assailants on Sezai Karakoç Boulevard in the Şehitlik neighborhood of Yenişehir district. As a result of the attack, Ali Gaffar Okkan and police officers Mehmet Kamalı, Sabri Kün, Mehmet Sepetçi, Atilla Durmuş, and Selahattin Baysoy were martyred.

The following conversation took place between the wounded officer and the central command via radio:

Wounded officer: Central, central! We have been attacked!

Central: Where is the incident location?

Wounded officer: Şehitlik area.

Central: Are there casualties?

Wounded officer: We have a martyr.

Central: What is the condition of Officer 3310?

Wounded officer: May our heads remain safe...^【5】 

The code “3310” used in this conversation was Ali Gaffar Okkan’s radio call sign, which had acquired immense social value and respect among the people of Diyarbakır during his nearly four-year tenure.

^{Site of Gaffar Okkan’s Martyrdom (}Anadolu Ajansı⁾

Following the attack, Ali Gaffar Okkan’s funeral was taken to his hometown of Hendek in Sakarya province, where he was buried. The funeral ceremony was attended by numerous officials and citizens. The burial took place in the cemetery in Hendek district.

Since his death, commemoration programs have been held annually on 24 January in numerous cities, beginning with Diyarbakır and Sakarya. Ceremonies are held at the site of the attack on Sezai Karakoç Boulevard in Diyarbakır and at his grave in Hendek. These programs are organized with the participation of official institutions and citizens.

^{Grave of Gaffar Okkan (}Anadolu Ajansı⁾

Ali Gaffar Okkan’s name has been used in various public projects and social initiatives. Under the “Ali Gaffar Okkan Heart’s Journey Project,” children named Ali Gaffar and Gaffar Okkan in Diyarbakır participated in various events organized by public institutions.

The strong social attachment and affection the people of Diyarbakır felt for Ali Gaffar Okkan have been manifested through symbolic practices aimed at preserving his memory. In this context, some families naming their newborn children “Ali Gaffar” reflect his enduring place in the city’s collective memory and his societal impact.

Additionally, some children named “Ali Gaffar” traveling to Sakarya on the anniversaries of his martyrdom to participate in commemorative ceremonies at his grave are regarded as a collective act of remembrance that transcends individual mourning.

On 11 April 2022, as part of events marking the 177th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Police Organization, the “Martyrs’ Corner” was inaugurated within the Diyarbakır Provincial Security Directorate. During the same ceremony, a wax statue honoring the memory of Martyr Security Director Ali Gaffar Okkan was unveiled to the public.

Ali Gaffar Okkan was married and had two children. His family participates in commemoration programs and official ceremonies. His wife and children have attended memorial events and official functions.