Iraqi Police Continue to Hone Skills

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^

[SandRat]

CAMP ECHO — Iraqi Policemen (IP) trained with U.S. Soldiers at the Convoy Support Center in Scania to improve their traffic control point operations, April 4.

IP from the Shumoly district of Babil province performed vehicle and personnel searches during exercises to increase their ability to mitigate the threat of smugglers moving dangerous weapons into the area.

“The biggest threat is smuggling in the area,” said Staff Sgt. Jacob Strickland, 16th Field Artillery Regiment. “If they can decrease the smuggling, everyone in Babil province will be safer.”

“They’ve established an acceptable level of security here,” said Capt. Jonathan Holm, Battery A commander, 16th FAR. “However, Coalition forces are going to be leaving in the future and [Iraqi Security Forces] need the capacity to maintain this current level of security and even improve it in some areas.”

“Train the Trainer” is the approach the Coalition is using to enable the IP to take skills learned to their areas of operation and train their own personnel.

“We’re training their officer and noncommissioned officer corps so when [Coalition forces] leave, they’ll still have that capability and their leaders will be able to train new leaders when they join the ranks,” said Holm. “This training won’t just stay with these individuals. It’ll carry on throughout the next few years.”

In addition to training on running a traffic control point, the Iraqi Security Forces also practiced room-clearing procedures and providing security for building searches.

“As the policemen receive this training, they gain more confidence in their own capabilities. [Their] morale goes up and they take more ownership of their area,” said Holm. “That’s essential to establishing and maintaining security here.”

[SandRat]

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