behsat ekici
Behsat
Ekici
Ph.D.
Adjunct Instructor

Behsat Ekici is an Adjunct Professor who teaches Research Based Project Management and Financial Intelligence: Anti Money Laundering & Counter Terrorism Financing courses remotely. Before joining the Mercyhurst University, Dr. Ekici gave lectures on behalf of NATO, PfP, UNODC, EMCDDA, TADOC, University of Pittsburgh, Necmettin Erbakan University, and Institute of Security Studies. He taught counterterrorism, counter-organized crime, and criminal intelligence analysis courses in 15 developing countries within the scope of UN and NATO projects. 

Dr. Ekici worked 16 years as a criminal intelligence analyst and law enforcement executive at Counter Organized Crime Department (KOM) of Turkish National Police (TNP).  He carried out rigorous intelligence analyses on Turkish, Kurdish, Iranian, African, Arab and Balkan criminal/terrorist networks. Dr. Ekici represented Turkish Government in numerous of international projects/initiatives on terrorism financing, illicit trade and transnational organized crime. 

Dr. Ekici managed multi-agency projects focusing on criminal justice & law enforcement sector reform in Turkey. He also contributed to many US, UN, Interpol, SELEC, NATO, GI-TOC and EU development programs designed for African, Afghan, Caucasian, Central Asian and Eastern European law enforcement institutions.  He chaired large scale international meetings on drug trafficking, organized crime, money laundering and financing of terrorism. 

Degrees

  • Ph.D. International Security and Development, University of Pittsburgh
  • M.S. Criminal Justice, Roger Williams University
  • B.A. Security Studies, TNP Academy (Turkey)

Courses Taught 

  • INTL 626: Financial Intelligence: Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing
  • INTL 676: Research Based Project

Research Interests 

  • Counter-terrorism financing (CTF)
  • Anti-money laundering (AML)
  • Criminal Intelligence Analysis 
  • Law Enforcement Intelligence 
  • Transnational organized crime and international security 
  • Iran