Soldiers prepare IPs to stand on own

Photo By Staff Sgt. Ricardo Branch | Sgt. Jacqueline Jaster and Spc. Margarita Ochoa from A Battery 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery go over situations about escalation of force procedures with an Iraqi policeman, Feb. 5, at the west Ramadi IP Station.  

RAMADI, IRAQ

02.11.2008

Story by Spc. Ricardo Branch 

1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

By Spc. Ricardo Branch
1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq – The Iraqi police are trying to sever the cord of coalition support and protect and serve the people on their own.

In Ramadi, the policemen patrol the streets, man the checkpoints and conduct humanitarian assistance events throughout the city.

The Iraqis can do all the tasks required of a policeman except the paperwork. The Iraqis are working to improve their administrative procedures to enhance their professional capability.

Soldiers of Battery A, 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery work with police officers everyday to provide guidance on what most people would say is the worst part of the job – the paperwork.

In addition to paperwork, the teams travel to the Iraqi police stations to help them improve their logistics.

"What we're doing is giving them an Iraqi solution to an Iraqi problem," said 1st Lt. Frank Messina, Btry. A, 1-41 FA. "The Iraqis don't have a lot of procedures in place, so we're showing them how we would solve it and they modify their own solution after it."

The Soldiers focus on two main areas to guide the policemen: logistics and professional development of the police officers.

Sgt. Jackie Jaster, a military policewoman with Btry. A, said, "The IPs need to learn how to do their own sustainment training, so we are teaching them things like ethics, community policing, and rules of engagement."

The goal of the training is to provide Iraqis police with a more sense of professionalism while they are on the streets.

"There are more Iraqi police forces than Iraqi army in Ramadi," Jaster said. "They are the first ones seen, so they are tightening up and presenting a more professional appearance for the locals."

Jaster, 23, from Fort Myers, Fla., has been training the IPs for three months now. In that time, she has witnessed a tremendous growth of ability in the IPs. She said each day they are improving and becoming more proficient in their jobs.

"It's not how it used to be," Jaster said. "The IPs are understanding that they need to be more for the people. We're here to show them how to focus more on community policing."

The situation has improved dramatically in Ramadi, so the police do not have to use the same amount of force. Soldiers teach the city's policemen the proper usage of escalation of force.

"You don't always need to start shooting," Jaster said. "You need to assess the situation quickly and stop it at the lowest level to prevent anyone from getting hurt."

During the weekly visits at the Iraqi police station, the Soldiers sit down with a senior policeman and discuss situations and possible training to improve every aspect of the local police work in the area.

The training of Iraqis has been taught by coalition forces. There are few Iraqi trainers in the Ramadi academy, but the artillerymen are hoping to change that.

"With IPs able to train themselves outside of the academy, we'll be able to back off more and they will be able to conduct more independent operations," Jaster said.

Coalition forces are working tirelessly to get the senior Iraqi policemen trained to teach their own, so that one day soon, the IPs will carry the full responsibility to protect and serve the people on their own.

• Date Taken: 02.11.2008
• Date Posted: 02.11.2008 17:07
• Story ID: 16252
• Location: RAMADI, IQ