Environmental officers police the streets in new way

Photo By 1st Sgt. Justin A. Naylor | An environmental police officer and a representative from the Belladiya speak to 1st...... read more read more

Photo By 1st Sgt. Justin A. Naylor | An environmental police officer and a representative from the Belladiya speak to 1st Lt. Danesh Kateli, an Orlando, Fla., native and a platoon leader with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Nov. 21. The environmental police officers supervise the Belladiya as they perform clean-up projects in the city.  see less | View Image Page

KIRKUK, IRAQ

11.04.2009

Story by Spc. Justin A. Naylor 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

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FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq - Iraqi police are assisting the city of Kirkuk restore its once famed status as the "most beautiful city in Iraq."

A new kind of police, known as environmental police officers, have begun operating at select police stations in Kirkuk, and are helping to supervise the cleaning of their streets.

"Every day we supervise 30 trucks, 150 workers, four dump trucks and two bulldozers while they clean up the streets," said 2nd Lt. Waleed Karleed Muhammed, one of the two environmental police officers at the Aruba District Police Station in Kirkuk.

According to 2nd Lt. Waleed, being an environmental police officer requires him to talk with local leaders on a daily basis, and he uses that time with them to discover which areas in the community are in dire need of cleaning. He takes this information to the Belladiya, the city's civil services, who are responsible for trash removal, and supervises the company while they clean up the areas.

Although the idea of having environmental police in the city was only formed a few months ago, they are already making a difference.

"The areas are a lot better than they used to be," said 2nd Lt. Waleed.

U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Waleed, with his environmental police officer partner, accompanies Belladiya employees six days a week to supervise the clean-up effort.

According to 2nd Lt. Waleed, by cleaning up these areas, he is not only improving the appearance, but is also helping to improve safety and sanitation. The large piles of garbage that are so common on Kirkuk's streets are used by insurgent groups to hide improvised explosive devices, which kill and injure innocent people. The piles of garbage are also a breeding ground for infectious diseases. By cleaning them up, he helps to eliminate both of these risks.

"This is the first time we have seen this type of operation in our areas," said Saba Majeed Rashad, a local leader. "They have cleaned up a lot in my sector; it looks much better."

Saba said he is also doing his part to help by encouraging religious leaders in the community to explain to the people how important it is to use dumpsters instead of just throwing their garbage in the street.

According to 1st Lt. Danesh Kateli, an Orlando, Fla., native and a U.S. Army platoon leader that works with the station, the environmental police officers, local leaders and Belladiya are all benefiting from this new program.

By helping the people, these groups are helping themselves, according to 1st Lt. Kateli. The people see these different groups working together, and it builds respect and rapport with them, building trust among everyone involved, he added.

"This is win-win," 1st Lt. Kateli said. "You are cleaning up the streets, and people see these three agencies at one place taking care of their area."

"It's a very big success," said 1st Lt. Kateli.

For the environmental police involved, this program is something they would like to see continued.

"The people are very happy to see us," said 2nd Lt. Waleed. "If the chiefs at the other stations are as good as ours, they will want to start these programs in their areas too."

According to 2nd Lt. Waleed, government agencies are also taking notice, and have been sending representatives to watch the progress. He feels this could lead to the expansion and continuation of the program.

"Kirkuk could really continue to benefit from this program," said 2nd Lt. Waleed.

"This is the first step in getting Kirkuk back to the way it used to be," said Saba.

But the three agencies do feel they still need a little more help from the government in order to make the cleaning permanent.

"We just need more places to dump garbage," said Saba. "We need more and larger dumpsters."

"If we have enough large dumpsters and if this program continues to help clean up, we will keep it clean forever," he said.