Military police supply, train Iraqi Highway Patrol
09 June, 2005 by news
UMM QASSR, Iraq– As coalition forces work to secure the country of Iraq, the U.S. Army’s military police are working to make sure the Iraqi Highway Patrol has the tools it needs to help in the security effort.
Story, Photos by Spc. Jeremy D. Crisp
MNC-I – PAO
POLICE
Soldiers from the 503rd Military Police Battalion, Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 18th MP Brigade, Mannheim, Germany, are supporting the IHP in all facets, including what they need most – vehicles.
A May 19 convoy showed the diligence of the MPs, as the IHP took home 110 blue and white Chevrolet pickups. The four-door trucks were outfitted with blue and red lights, radio systems and spotlights.
Capt. Robert J. Baker of the 503rd, said the idea of the Iraqi Highway Patrol is a new concept to Iraq, and his unit is tasked with doing everything it can to ensure its success.
“Our main effort is logistically supplying these people,” Baker said. “We’re taking primary responsibility in getting the IHP vehicles and weapons and other logistical supplies they need in order to operate.”
Baker, from Rochester, N.Y., said getting the IHP new vehicles is a key to both forces’ success, because, “Without them, the IHP can’t do their job.”
“These vehicles to the IHPs are just like a (Humvee) to an MP,” Baker said.
“We get them the vehicles and we get them out on the road,” said Baker, who is the civil military operations officer for the 503rd. “The more vehicles we get them, the more apt they are to do their job effectively. The more Iraqi highway patrolmen we can have out on the roads, the bigger impact they are going to make.”
According to Baker this is just the beginning of new vehicles for the IHP. The 503rd is responsible for six IHP stations, with six more coming under their command by September, and Baker said that each IHP station is to be fielded with 35 vehicles.
“There is going to be a projected 35 IHP stations throughout Iraq, and we’re only talking about six – soon to be 12 – falling under us,” Baker said.
Through the use of trucks previously fielded to the IHP, they have been able to take some of the burden off of U.S. forces.
“They’re out there finding (improvised explosive devices,) they’re finding (anti-Iraqi forces,) and they are making a significant contribution by doing their job in the field,” Baker said.
Maj. Muhammad, a platoon leader with the Iraqi Police, said with the help from Baker and Maj. Andy T. Johnson of the 18th MP Bde., the IHP is able to do their job and work toward relieving coalition forces.
“These trucks are going to help out a lot,” said Muhammad, a 15-year veteran of the Iraqi police force. “Before the war, we had junk vehicles sent to us by the Saddam regime, and there was no way we could get this number of vehicles before the war under Saddam. These vehicles are going to do a great job in different provinces around Iraq.”
Muhammad, who acts as a liaison for Johnson and Baker, said that through the training and support received, “The American government is trying to make it happen for us. They support our forces so we can take the responsibility from our friends the Coalition forces. That way we can reach our goal – the Iraqi government goal – of controlling our country with our own forces.”
Along with supplying the force, the 18th and 503rd are responsible for ensuring the policemen of the IHP have the knowledge and skills at their disposal to accomplish their missions.
“We have a training academy that puts out roughly between 150 to 250 Iraqi Highway Patrol officers a month,” Baker said. “It is a 21-day point of instruction for them, and it’s not a monitoring relationship. It’s more a working hand-in-hand relationship.
“We go out on joint patrols with them, and we deal with every facet as far as their operations to make sure they will be set up for success when we start pulling out,” he said.
Future operations for the MPs include a new class of recruits beginning the academy, acquiring more trucks to complete the IHP fleet and the completion of the six new IHP stations.