CSTC-A team contributes to development of trustworthy ANP force

AFGHANISTAN

07.27.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio 

NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

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By Air Force Staff Sgt. Beth Del Vecchio
Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan

KONDUZ, Afghanistan – More than 200 students processed into the Regional Training Center by Afghan national police and Afghan civilians, with the help of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan mentors.

The police students arrived, July 19, for Focused District Development training, a program to create a professional and well-trained police force, district by district.

Although the CSTC-A mentors, serving as subject matter experts, were on hand to advise their Afghan counterparts, the process was almost completely Afghan-led.

Lt. Cmdr. Sheila Pearson, CSTC-A ANP recruiting mentor and Konduz processing team leader, explained that their goal is to help the ANP leadership develop a sturdy processing system for police training, which leads to a trustworthy force.

"The goal to cleanse the ANP is started here at the RTC," she said. "By cleanse, I mean to make sure the people the ANP are recruiting and training are good, trustworthy people. This is the start of that progression."

She said that having this process led by Afghans is the first step in building trust in the police force for the people of Afghanistan.

"Being responsible for the screening, training them correctly and then sending them back out into the community, so the people can trust them and believe in them, is a huge step," she said.

During their enrollment, the students meet with an Afghan personnel representative who collects their individual data, such as name, father's name, rank, and district where they work, then assigns them a processing number. This number, along with the personnel information, is used to track the students at the RTC.

Once the students finish with the personnel representative, additional information is collected by the Afghan ID card team. They check their database to determine if the student already has a national identification card and verify the expiration date as applicable. If the student does not have a national ID, more personnel data is collected.

The students also go through a medical screening for basic vital signs, sight and hearing tests, immunizations, and a drug screening. Based on the results of the medical screening, the Afghan doctor makes a recommendation on the student's qualification or disqualification.

The students also undergo a biometrics screening, which compares unique physical traits of the students to a criminal database.

As part of the biometrics screening, the students have their photos, fingerprints, handprints and iris scanned by a ministry of interior biometrics team.

Army Sgt. Wayne Demar, a CSTC-A biometrics coordinator, said the screening benefits the ANP in more ways than just tracking their students at the RTC.

"I think the biometrics screening process works as a deterrent," he said. "If these men know that the system will identify anyone who has committed any crimes, it will deter the criminals from trying to enter the force."

After the biometrics screening, Air Force Capt. Sam Shimp, CSTC-A finance reform officer, talks with the students to determine any pay issues, He also gives the students a finance brief, letting them know what pay to expect while they are in training and when they return to their districts.

He said electronic funds transfer, now used by the ANP to directly deposit salaries into bank accounts, is a way to cut down on pay disbursement problems inside the force.

"Their previous pay-by-list system, in which one person collects and distributes money for the group, wasn't ideal. By the time the money reached the students, it wasn't the full amount they were owed," Shimp said. "Now, 17 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan have EFT, and it's effective because it cuts down on the corruption of money changing hands."

Lastly, students receive new uniforms, boots and other gear. Chief Master Sgt. William Sciarretta, logistics superintendent, said the ANP who work at the RTC are responsible for issuing the gear, while he oversees the process.

"This time, we tried to hold them responsible for the process," Sciarretta said. "The questions they ask show they understand the process."

Sciarretta also considers the new uniforms and gear to be another way the ANP will gain trust with the people of Afghanistan.

"This not only standardizes the force, but brings it up to a certain standard. It gives them a greater capability to defend themselves, as well as a better image," he said.

ANP Col. Hadid Khan, Konduz RTC training commander, echoed the mentor's sentiments.

"We are a team, and we are working together and helping to improve the police together," Hadid said. "Our country is different because some people linked with the enemy try to join the police. This system will find the bad people and keep them from our force. The people of Afghanistan will understand that."