Iraqi Cops Prepare for National Elections
Police Commandos and Border Patrol Enforcement
Gear Up for More Active Security Role
January 16, 2005
by Jim Kouri, CPP
[This article is taken from an abridged report to appear in The Chief of Police Magazine.)
The Iraqi Police Commandos stepped-up operations in the Ad Dawrah area of Baghdad in a continuing effort to identify and disrupt insurgent and criminal activity. The early morning raids yielded useful neighborhood intelligence and resulted in the detainment of several individuals. The operation's commanders claim their successes will contribute to peaceful elections set for the end of January.
Police officials are aggressively planning and expanding these strategic searches in an effort to keep AIF and other criminal elements off balance. A spokesperson for the commandos indicated that the citizens of Baghdad are growing weary of the violence in their neighborhoods and are actively assisting the police in this effort.
“The citizens we encountered in Ad Dawrah were happy to see the police commandos actively pursuing insurgents,” said U.S. Sgt. Cutroneo working in conjunction with the Iraqi Police Commandos and area security planners with the U.S. 5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The planning for future operations is ongoing. The Baghdad area has recently experienced an increase in insurgent attacks.
The Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement, as part of the Iraqi government’s continuing effort to provide peace and security to the citizens of Iraq, is establishing a new and comprehensive training program that will produce a fully trained, equipped, and professional force of 11,000 officers by the end of December 2004. The program, under construction with Coalition and U.S. Department of Homeland Security assistance, will call for the initial training of 600 border enforcement officers and an additional 72 Iraqi trainers capable of teaching future iterations in their respective disciplines. Classes are slated to kick off in Amman, Jordan, at the Jordan International Police Training Center.
“It is the most important problem for Iraq,” a senior Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement official said (name withheld for security reasons). “Right now our borders are open ports for enemies and weapons to come into our country. “If we are to have a safe and secure Iraq, we must stop the problems at our borders,” he said. “But right now this doesn’t exist.”
Course work will include instruction in technical and non-technical inspections, custom tariff collections, evidence processing, legal considerations, anti-smuggling techniques, ethics, and various supervisory and support staff skills for customs, border police, and immigration personnel. The training effort will eventually move to Iraq with accommodations for the Department of Border Enforcement at the Baghdad Public Service Academy and the opening of regional academies co-located with Iraqi Police Service academies in Kirkuk, Mosul, and Basra.
Iraq will eventually deploy 251 border forts equipped with state-of-the-art security equipment including night-vision capabilities, unattended ground sensors, and closed-circuit television, camera, and multiplexer equipment. “We have a long history of border security,” the official said. “But with Coalition help we can do this and the future will be fine. “This force and the training we are putting together is like a new-born baby for us,” he added. “The effect will be a safe Iraq.”
“The Iraqis have got to be able to secure the borders and stabilize the country before any progress can be made here,” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Country Director for Iraq, Doug Melvin said “The concept is to not only establish a program of instruction,” he added, “but to develop lesson plans tailored to fit each region in Iraq.” The plan calls for 600 personnel to be trained every four weeks in a respective discipline within the border enforcement area of responsibility. Currently the department handles customs and immigration duties in addition to border security responsibilities. “We want to enhance the ability of the Iraqis to provide their own security,” Melvin said, “thus disengaging from the Coalition side.
Sources: Multinational Security Task Force, National Association of Chiefs of Police
Jim Kouri
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores.
