Garmsir police graduate from police skills training course

GARMSIR, AFGHANISTAN

01.30.2011

Story by Cpl. Skyler Tooker 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

GARMSIR, Afghanistan -- The 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment Police Advisory Team presented completion certificates to 16 Afghan police officers who graduated from a police skills training course, Jan. 30.

The eight-day course, which was designed to develop mentors within local Afghan police units, included classes in hand-cuffing, searching, handling a prisoner, firearms and more.

After the Afghan police received their course-completion certificates, the PAT instructors highlighted the students who stood out.

“A few of them, along with their completion certificate, also received an award for being the best marksmen with the various different weapons systems we learned and fired at the range,” said Sgt. Timothy Arndt, a member of the PAT with 2/1.

This was the second class of 2011 that has graduated, and according to Arndt, it’s encouraging to see how well the Afghan Police absorbed course instruction.

“It is good to see the Afghan police progress from the way they were the first day until the final day,” said Arndt, from Phoenix. “They have some skills and some knowledge to take back with them …”

However, said Arndt, the course’s greatest value was its teambuilding aspect.

“--The best accomplishment is they have met other police from different checkpoints in the district,” said Arndt, “and in the end, it should build a stronger and more secure area with more networking, more intelligence sharing and better cooperation between the Afghan police here.”

• Date Taken: 01.30.2011
• Date Posted: 02.03.2011 08:36
• Story ID: 64717
• Location: GARMSIR, AF