ISF, residents work with Gimlets to keep area safe

Photo By Sgt. Dustin Weidman | Lt. Col Mario Diaz (second from the left), a native of Sierra Madre, Calif., and commander of 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, talks with Iraqi police Gen. Kareem, chief of police for the Abu Ghraib District, Shakr Fiza, Qa'im Makam of Abu Ghraib, and Lt. Col. Darryl Johnson, commander of the 16th Military Police Battalion before the opening ceremony for the Joint Coordination Center located in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. The JCC will be used to help in continued combined patrols and security in the Abu Ghraib area.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

08.06.2008

Courtesy Story

2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

By Capt. Benjamin Roark
2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

BAGHDAD – A crowd of local government and security leaders gathered at the Abu Ghraib police station, west of Baghdad, to mark the official opening of the Abu Ghraib Joint Coordination Center, Aug. 6, 2008.

The center is jointly manned by the Iraqi police, representatives of the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, Qada officials, Nahia officials and coalition forces. The center will serve as a coordination hub for security, civil, emergency, economic and tribal. The center will also host weekly meetings to address local and regional issues.

"I do not care who knows this, but I will take on al-Qaida and all those that oppose us," said Iraqi police Gen. Kareem, IP chief for the Abu Ghraib District, as he cut the ribbon to officially open the center. "Let them know that Gen. Kareem and the Iraqi police are working with the Iraqi army and coalition forces to stop terrorism."

The council sees great success in coordinating security patrols as well as acting as a centralized location for business owners to apply for and submit microgrants. Microgrants give the Abu Ghraib people an opportunity to apply for money that can be used to expand their business or start a new one. The money is funded by the Iraqi government and does not need to be repaid. More than 200 microgrant applications were received for processing and many more are collected daily.

"We will use this place for the good of Abu Ghraib," said Shakr Fiza al-Zobai, Qa'im Makam of Abu Ghraib. "We have made great strides already and working together in this manner, we will only continue to grow."

• Date Taken: 08.06.2008
• Date Posted: 08.11.2008 11:22
• Story ID: 22359
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ