New Operations Center empowers Afghan Police

AFGHANISTAN

02.21.2013

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Wilbanks 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The Afghan Uniformed Police, 2nd Garrison commemorated the completion of a new tactical operation center in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Feb. 21, 2013.

This center will be used to track and manage significant activities in the 2nd Garrison area as well as command and control for over 900 AUP serving more than 350,000 Afghan citizens.

The ceremony was attended by the commanders from the police sub-stations of the 2nd Garrison as well as Col. Ken Adgie, commander of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, Combined Team Ready First and Lt. Col. Andrew Collins, commander of the 115th Military Police battalion.

“The long term effect of this new operation center is a sustainable capability to make decisions and manage crisis situations as a large organization in a large population center,” said Maj. Damon Goff, commander of the security force assistance team at Camp Nathan Smith, Afghanistan.

The 2nd Garrison and Kandak commander, Maj. Abdul Qayum, was optimistic about the new operation center and his police officers capabilities during the meeting.

“The people of Kandahar have a lot of concerns about the Americans leaving Afghanistan, but the police and government are not concerned because we are confident in our abilities and equipment,” said Qayum.

Goff agreed with Qayum, saying that the Afghan police in this area are well ahead of schedule and operating independently due to the outstanding leadership of the 2nd Garrison command.

And while the armed insurgency is still a cause for concern, Adgie expressed complete confidence in the abilities of the Afghan Police.

“The Taliban can plant IEDs and they can on motorcycles and shoot at us, but they can’t beat the Afghan Police,” said Adgie.

This is the first operation center of its kind in the city and in many ways more functional than the provincial head quarters operations center, said Goff.

“It is the SFAT TEXANS' hope that this becomes something that other Afghan Police commanders see value in and develop within their organizations throughout the Ready First battle space,” said Goff.

• Date Taken: 02.21.2013
• Date Posted: 02.23.2013 09:31
• Story ID: 102446
• Location: AF