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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Jul 3, 2009 - 7:37:28 PM |
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Baghdad Way Ahead Plan to dramatically increase Iraqi Police force
By Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
Oct 26, 2007 - 2:48:27 PM
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Stryker brigade leadership works with IPs to ensure best possible recruits are chosen
Blackanthem Military News
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| Iraqi men converge on the Boob al Sham Police Station Oct. 16 in attempt to join the Iraqi Police force. Through what is known as the Baghdad Way Ahead Plan, the Baghad Police Directorate is accepting 7,000 new officers to help with providing peace and security in Baghdad Province. Many, many Iraqis have answered the call. In Al Zahour district alone, 9,000 Iraqi men applied for 860 new positions. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett) |
TAJI, Iraq - More than 1,000 Iraqi men converged on the Boob Al Sham Police Station Oct. 16 in hopes of gaining one of the 150 new openings in the Boob Al Sham police force.
It was all the Iraqi policemen - even with help from Soldiers of the 543rd Military Police Company - could do to keep the surging crowd organized. The policeman-hopefuls held up their proof of Iraqi citizenship, clamoring to be chosen from the many other applicants.
Similar scenes are happening all over Baghdad Province as Iraqi Police move to increase their numbers by 7,000 in the province that includes the Iraqi capitol of Baghdad. The increase in police is being called The Baghdad Way Ahead Plan, and each city in Baghdad Province is scheduled to receive new policeman, with the number of police based on population size.
Al Zahour district, directly north of Baghdad, is one of the first district to recruit new law enforcement, and 9,000 Iraqi men rushed to their local police stations to apply for the 860 new openings in the district.
"The plan will significantly increase the number of police on the street in Baghdad Province," explained Maj. Thomas Rider, provost marshal for the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, which is responsible for the battle space in northern Baghdad Province. "If all goes as planned, these police should be patrolling their neighborhoods by March of 2008. The security situation in Al Zahour has improved quite a bit in the last two months due in a large part to the local police going out into the civilian population and gaining credibility with them. The increase in police should allow this security process to accelerate."
Rider noted that after Baghdad Province increases its number of IPs, other Iraqi provinces are scheduled to do the same.
 Leaders from the 4-2 SBCT sat down with Iraqi Police leaders Oct. 17 in the brigade's conference room to strategize how to ensure that the best possible recruits are chosen to join the force.
"I'm concerned about the possibility of extremists infiltrating into the recruiting process," 4-2 SBCT commander Col. Jon Lehr said to Brig. Gen Abed Al Hameed, commander of the East Baghdad Police Directorate. "How do we keep that from happening?"
Hameed answered by explaining the IP selection process, which includes making sure all the applicants are Iraqi citizens and that they do not have a police record.
Lt. Col. John Drago, commander of 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, had questions for Hameed concerning the Iraqi city of Rashidiyah. The Soldiers of 2-12 FA, with help from Col. Ali Husayn Nema, Al Zahour district police chief, are currently training a group of Concerned Local Citizens to provide security for Rashidiyah.
Drago wanted to know if that security force, which is paid by Coalition Forces, could be considered first for the 200 new IP positions that will soon open in Rashidiyah.
The security force personnel are purposely paid less than IPs, to encourage them to want to join the police force. There are also more paid security personnel than new IP slots, which encourages healthy competition between the concerned citizens for the new IP positions, according to Drago.
Hameed, through a translator, assured Drago that the Rashidiyah security personnel would be considered first for the new IP positions.
Lehr also stressed the need for the new recruits to be nationalists, putting their sectarian differences aside for the good of Iraq.
Hameed replied to Lehr's comment with, "People who work for the Iraqi army and police, their loyalty should not reside with their religion or tribe, but with Iraq itself."
Hameed assured the brigade leadership that any IP who participates in sectarian violence will be arrested.
Lehr was also concerned about security for the new cadets who will have to travel to Baghdad to receive training.
Hameed said he would work with Coalition Forces to ensure the cadets' safety.
Lehr also asked about equipping the new policemen, to which Hameed replied that he would personally see to it that all new police had uniforms, weapons and body armor.
"I'm very optimistic," Hameed said toward the end of the meeting. "The situation in the last two months has greatly improved. The number of violent acts has decreased. If this continues through the next six months, the security situation will improve dramatically. "
"The importance of the Iraqi Police is huge," Lehr said after the meeting. "The natural cycle of a counterinsurgency fight is a transition from fighting insurgents to apprehending criminals, and that evolution hinges on Iraqi Police. They not only provide law and order, but also help the Iraqi economy. Economically it is very important to give legitimacy to 17-35 year old males. Military age males have a choice between getting a legitimate job or being part of the insurgency, so it is important to give these MAMs a sense of pride and worth that they are doing something noble and something legitimate to help their country."
"The whole development of the Iraqi Security Forces is a huge part of our strategy in Iraq," Lehr continued. "The sooner we get the Iraqi Security Forces up and running, the sooner they can take over."
The brigade leadership has a similar meeting with Tawfiq Ahmad, Tarmiyah Police District chief, later this week.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| Spc. Adam Parsons, military policeman with the 543rd Military Police Company, helps keep a line of Iraqi men orderly as they apply to become Iraqi Policemen at the Boob al Sham Police Station Oct. 16. More than 1,000 Iraqis converged on the station to apply for one of the 150 new openings. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett)
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| Aspiring Iraqi Policemen jockey for position at the Boob al Sham Police Station Oct. 16. The Baghad Police Directorate is accepting 7,000 applications for new officers, and thousands of local Iraqis have answered the call to help provide peace and security for Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett) |
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| Leaders of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., meet with Baghdad Province Iraqi Police leadership in the brigade's conference room, Taji, Iraq, Oct. 17. Iraqi Police are recruiting thousands of new policemen for Baghdad Province in what is known as the Baghdad Way Ahead Plan. The brigade is working with the IPs to ensure the best possible candidates are chosen for those positions. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett) |
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| Col. Jon Lehr (left), commander 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., gives his brigade coin to Brig. Gen Abed Al Hameed, commander of the Rusafa (east Baghdad) Iraqi Police Directorate during a meeting between the brigade's leadership and local Iraqi Police leadership. The Iraqi Police are recruiting thousands of new policemen, and the brigade is working with the IPs to ensure the best possible candidates are chosen for the positions. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Russell Bassett) |
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