Now Zad District handed over to Afghan Uniformed Police

NOW ZAD, AFGHANISTAN

09.02.2013

Courtesy Story

Regional Command Southwest

NOW ZAD, Afghanistan - The U.S. Marine-led Police Advisor Team in Now Zad transitioned the lead security role to the Afghan Uniformed Police Aug. 23.

Since 2009, Marines have operated within Now Zad with the intent of one day returning the district back over to the Afghan National Security Forces. With the transition of lead security from the advisor team, the AUP will now be responsible for maintaining security within the district’s bazaar and manning 11 checkpoints throughout the district.

The Road to Transition
For the last four months, the advisors have worked tirelessly to train and mentor the police officers in the basics of law enforcement.

When the advisor team first arrived, they recognized the police officers had exceptional fighting skills, however, needed assistance in developing their law enforcement capabilities.

“When we first got here, the transition from combat advising to tactical advising had already begun,” said Maj. James Prudhomme, senior advisor. “After picking up where the other team left off, we recognized there was room for improvement. We just kept chipping away and now academically they’ve caught on.”

The advisors worked with the police officers daily and taught classes based on what the police officers had previously learned. Many of the classes focused on the fundamentals of policing such as checkpoint security, military police training and first aid.

According to 1st Lt. Dustin O’Day, the communications officer with the PAT, establishing a line of communication helped build trust between the advisors and the police officers. O’Day said the advisors initially taught the classes, but over time, the Afghan policemen gained confidence in their own abilities and knowledge and began teaching the classes themselves.

The advisors also tailored the courses to the resources available to the AUP. For example, during the first aid classes, Navy corpsmen taught the policemen how to make tourniquets using the plastic ring from a bottle, a stick and some cloth. This method of instruction reinforced the importance of creative thinking about primary care for saving lives.

Throughout their training, the AUP identified shortfalls in their capabilities and began to request specific training from the advisors. Due to the structural design of Now Zad, the police officers recognized the need to prepare for close-quarter battles and asked the advisors for help.

“They wanted to know how to go in, take down the assailant, and come back out with minimal casualties,” said Lance Cpl. Daniel Castillo, a police advisor.

Castillo said he has seen a huge change in the capabilities of the AUP during his time with them and he believes they now have the skills to maintain security within the district.

“They know their country and people better than we do,” said Castillo. “They know how to do things; just sometimes they seem to lack faith in themselves. But I feel that since we’ve been here we’ve given them the push to use the things we’ve taught them. We’ve seen them detain individuals, process them, and turn them over to the right authorities. We’ve seen that they can do it. I have faith that they will be successful in their future.”

• Date Taken: 09.02.2013
• Date Posted: 09.02.2013 02:55
• Story ID: 112963
• Location: NOW ZAD, AF