Multi-National Force Iraq Public Affairs

Courtesy Story

By the NATO Training Mission - Iraq

BAGHDAD - On Oct. 11, 2008, 600 Iraqi national police started the 6th Leadership Training Course run by the Italian Carabinieri at Camp Dublin, Baghdad.

The specialized course is designed to provide further training for the Iraqi national police to develop their basic skills taught at their training centres. Police attending the 8 week course will study operational planning, police procedures, police intelligence, counter-insurgency skills, weapons, combat skills, First Aid and basic logistics. The course pays special attention to police ethics and human rights.

The attendees come from Iraqi national police 1st Battalion, Knights Ride Brigade 3rd Division. This is the 6th battalion trained by the Italian Carabinieri since October 2007. So far, 2,103 policemen from five battalions have graduated the Leadership Training Course.

"Italy, through NATO, is proud to provide this specialised course to the Iraqi national police. The skills the police gain on this course benefit all Iraqi people. By the end of this year we will increase the number of trainees up to 900. This effectively doubles the capacity of the course," said Maj. General Paolo Bosotti, deputy commander of the NATO Training Mission – Iraq.

The training site is expanding its facilities in order to double the throughput at Camp Dublin.

"By investing in the future and increasing the numbers of students we can demonstrate that the co-operation between the Iraqi national police and Italian Carabinieri is growing every day," said Col. Paolo Coletta, chief of the Carabinieri Training Department NATO Training Mission-Iraq Headquarters.

NATO Training Mission – Iraq trains, mentors and advises officers in the Iraqi security forces, in order to assist the Government of Iraq resume its important place in the international community and to improve the security of all Iraqi people.

NATO's other co-operation projects include: Iraqi Military Academy and Joint Staff College at Ar Rustamiyah; Iraqi National Defence College; and out of country training courses at NATO schools. Officers of NATO Training Mission – Iraq also provide mentoring and advice to the prime minister's National Operations Centre, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior Command Centre and the Iraqi Ministry of Defence Joint Operations Centre.

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