Feriha Sanerk

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Feriha Sanerk (1 July 1923 – 19 November 2010) was the first woman to be a police chief in Turkey. She was born in İzmir and studied at Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Science, graduating in 1945. In 1946 she joined the Ministry of Interior as a vice commissar, and in 1951 she earned a police in-service training certificate. After completing the training, she became a police chief.

She later held several leadership roles, including Director of Legal Affairs, Director of Media Relations, and Director of the Research Center, and she also taught at the Police Training Center. She served as police chief from 1953 to 1974, retiring in 1974.

Feriha Sanerk was married to Adnan Sanerk and had two daughters. One daughter, Nurdan Canca, also became a police chief. She died in Antalya in 2010 and was buried at Uncalı Cemetery. On 27 November 2008, she received an honor plaque from the Women’s Congress. In the Turkish documentary Nisvan, she was portrayed by Elif Tayhan.