Senior Colonel Ergün Cebeci, who returned the tip from the Saudi prince, has become the department head at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB).

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Senior Colonel Ergün Cebeci, whose life is filled with successful operations both domestically and abroad, has been appointed to the Disaster Affairs Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB).

WHO IS ERGÜN CEBECİ?

The new department head Ergün Cebeci graduated from the Army War Academy as a Gendarmerie Lieutenant in 1993. He served as a team commander at the Tuzla Infantry School Command and the Foça Gendarmerie Schools Command, and at the Bornova 2nd Gendarmerie Commando Training Battalion Command. He graduated from the Gendarmerie Officer School in 1996. From 1996 to 2019, he held various positions including Gendarmerie Commando Company Commander, Public Order Branch Manager, and Provincial Gendarmerie Deputy Commander in Mardin, Çanakkale, Tunceli, Muğla, Şırnak, Edirne, and Kastamonu. Between 2019-2022, he served as the Interior Affairs Advisor at the Embassy in Kiev, the Provincial Gendarmerie Commander of Tunceli in 2022, and the Deputy Provincial Gendarmerie Commander of Istanbul in 2023. He retired in August 2024.

RETIREMENT WHILE EXPECTING BRIGADIER GENERAL RANK

Cebeci, who evacuated 17,000 of our citizens during the Ukraine war and was in the spotlight for returning a tip given to him by a Saudi prince, was retired while expecting the rank of brigadier general.

RETURNED THE TIP ENVELOPE TO THE SAUDI PRINCE

In 2007, while serving as the District Gendarmerie Commander in Bodrum, Saudi Arabian Prince Mohamed Bin Suud Al-Faisal Al Suud distributed envelopes containing five thousand dollars each as tips to the hotel staff and security personnel during his vacation in the district. The gendarmerie officer responsible for the prince's security received the envelope without knowing its contents and took it to Major Ergün Cebeci, who was the Bodrum Gendarmerie Company Commander at the time, without opening it.

AN EXEMPLARY STANCE FROM CEBECİ

Once it was understood that the envelope contained money, it was returned to the prince with red and white roses and carnations, following Cebeci's instructions. The commander who presented the flowers and the envelope stated, "As Turkish soldiers, we are responsible for the safety of anyone who comes to our country for vacation or any other reason. You are our guest, and we have fulfilled our duty for your safety. We always welcome you to our country. Please do not misunderstand our refusal of your gesture; it is not expected for a Turkish soldier or any security personnel to act in such a manner. The envelope was received by our officers under the assumption that it was an invitation envelope and out of courtesy, we want you to know this."