New course prepares Afghan police for field work

by Navy Lt. Neil Myers
CJTF-101

KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (June 30, 2008) – Sixty Afghan men were trained by the Kunar provincial reconstruction team recently to become part of the Afghan national auxiliary police force in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The police training and advisory team program was developed as a training-and-mentoring program for the police force. The three-week course, conducted at Camp Wright, near Asadabad, is the only one of its kind in Kunar province. The trainees come from every district in the province and are housed at the Asadabad police headquarters during their training.

“Many of the police trainees arrive at the ANAP course with poor discipline.” said Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos A. Ramirez, Kunar PRT. “We teach them discipline through repetitive activities and specially-designed physical exercise.” After physical exercise, the trainees attend classroom training led by one of the three Afghan police officer instructors whom are attached to the program. Trainees learn traffic accident investigation, weapons familiarization, domestic violence investigation, vehicle searches, community policing, explosives detection, the penal code, baton training, hand cuffing and a variety other law enforcement skills.

“I think it’s good to have our three Afghan teachers leading the lecture part of the training because they speak the Pashto language and about half of the trainees speak very little English,” said Seaman Brian L. Boyd Jr., Kunar PRT. The military staff of the police training and advisory team, assisted by four interpreters, teaches practical hands-on training in the afternoon. “Initially the trainees are reserved, due to the fact that for many, this is their first interaction with Coalition forces,” said Boyd. “Midway through the class they interact more with us. By graduation many of us are good friends. If we maintain this program, Afghanistan will improve because these trainees want to become ANP and truly want their country to succeed.”

The goal of coalition forces is to have Afghanistan secure and govern itself. A big issue in Kunar province is security and the police play a huge role towards accomplishing that goal. The advisory team contributes to that effort by providing the ANAP and ANP with a steady pool of well-trained police officers who are ready to serve their country. A typical ANAP candidate, 36-year-old Ali hails from the Shigal District. He is married and has seven children. Ali is eager to complete the training and eventually get hired as [an] ANP at the end of his three-year ANAP contract. He has a positive attitude towards the coalition forces and understands they are here to help him rebuild his country.

Another role of the police training advisory team is mentoring police chiefs. “We go to every district and survey the police station, meet with the police chief and ascertain their needs,” said Ramirez. “Whether it be facility improvements, more staff or equipment, the (advisory team) mentors and shows police chiefs how to properly coordinate assistance with other agencies for help [to] run their stations. In some cases (the advisory team) provides assistance with building upgrades and repairs. To date, (the advisory team) has trained 290 ANAP with 90 police candidates currently enrolled.”

An police trainee handcuffs Petty Officer 2nd Class Jovener R. Mironchik while Seaman Brian L. Boyd Jr. watches during a training session with Afghan national auxiliary police students at a training facility near Asadabad.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can.

Source: CENTCOM.