Posted on 08/27/2006 12:37:19 PM PDT by SandRat
BAGHDAD -- As the country of Iraq moves from a heavy reliance on military security towards self-reliance and an everyday presence of civil security, the National Police will provide a paramilitary presence skilled in bridging the gap between the military and police services. A new plan by Iraq’s Ministry of Interior is designed to facilitate the transition.
The use of paramilitary forces is common to many countries. Known in France as Gendarmerie and in Italy as Caribinieri, these forces have been widely used in peacekeeping operations throughout the world. These types of forces were used in Haiti during the rebellion of 2004 when brutal armed gangs took over much of the country.
Iraq's National Police play an important role in re-establishing law and order in areas of conflict, a task well suited to their purpose, training and capabilities. To ensure that the National Police are well prepared for the transition, the Iraqi Minister of Interior launched the National Police Transformation Plan.
The three-phased transformation plan is designed to shape the National Police into a paramilitary force capable of maintaining public order and providing civil protection to citizens in accordance with the rule of law and international standards of human rights.
Iraqi-led teams consisting of Ministry of Interior and Coalition technical experts conduct inspections and assess a wide array of issues including personnel, accountability, equipment readiness, detainee control procedures, battalion facilities, overall unit discipline and current combat capabilities, as well as physical fitness and vehicle maintenance.
Important aspects of "Quick Look" include a command climate survey and key leader assessment processes. Leader assessments evaluate performance and competence of battalion and brigade commanders, while the surveys provide a view of the overall perception of unit readiness. Results of the assessments are ultimately provided to the Minister of Interior for review and action.
U.S. Army Col. Jim Bartran, deputy commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq's Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, has accompanied assessment teams to several of the unit inspections.
"Every unit is different," he said, "but overall, the leaders I’ve met are patriots for the country of Iraq and dedicated to improving readiness and reputations of their command."
As part of the assessment process, the Ministry of Interior’s oath of office is administered to National Police personnel, in which they pledge their allegiance to the country of Iraq and its constitution.
Bartran pointed to the importance of patience in the process of transforming the National Police.
"If done properly, this plan will help develop a police force that will have an enduring and national level impact on Iraq's ability to maintain a safe and secure environment," he said.
The ability of the Iraqi security forces to ensure safety has sometimes been called into doubt; reports frequently mention crimes perpetrated by men apparently dressed in official uniform.
However, now, according to an announcement by Iraq’s Interior Minister, Jawad al-Bulani, the National Police will be provided with new uniforms that are hard to imitate, and all of the MoI vehicles will be painted with special features and standardized color schemes.
According to Bartan, these are important steps designed to improve the professional image of the National Police and deter anti-Iraqi forces from disguising themselves as police.
Bartan said phase two of the plan provides a key opportunity to concentrate on the training required to fulfill the vision of the National Police. Units will be taken out of counter-insurgency operations, one brigade at a time, to undergo a three-week training course focused on civil policing skills at both individual and small unit levels.
The third phase of the plan is an enduring professional development system via the establishment of a National Police Training Center of Excellence. While still in its development stages, the facility is being designed to train and evaluate National Police battalions on combat skills as well as civil policing skills. The goal is that battalions will be cycled through the process on a regular basis in order to continually recertify them in mission essential tasks.
"The most exciting thing about this transformation plan is that it is truly an Iraqi-led endeavor," Bartan said. "They want to do better."
News from Iraq you won't hear from the LameStreamMedia Presstitutes.
Bush's fault.
Liberating Iraq PING.
Liberating Iraq PING.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.