GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army military policemen, 3rd Brigade, 203rd Corps, and Afghan Uniform Policemen polished their basic law enforcement skills at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, Aug. 13.
The American and Polish-led training marked the beginning of a three-week course in which the ANA will practice a range of law enforcement procedures, from making arrests to advanced marksmanship and driver’s training.
The skills covered in the course are nothing new for the ANA MPs, who are already conducting law enforcement operations in the field, said U.S. Army Capt. Jonathan Douglas, Green 66 security forces assistance team military police adviser, Cross Functional Team Warrior, 10th Mountain Division.
It’s more of a way to brush up on skills they already have, or “a way to compare notes” between what the ANA already does and the way the Polish and American forces work, he said.
Twelve ANA noncommissioned officers and one officer took part in the training Aug. 13, where they reviewed techniques on how to subdue and handcuff a suspect resisting arrest.
The next day they headed to the range to brush up on their marksmanship.
“The training is very good,” said ANA 1st Lt. Atiqullah, platoon commander, 3rd Brigade, 203rd Corps. “It’s very important for the soldiers, because we are the MPs. We have to check the entry control points; we have to check the checkpoints. It’s a very hard job. For soldiers, sergeants, officers, this training is very important.”
He added that the training benefitted from the combination of American and Polish instructors.
As the ANA becomes more proficient, Coalition Forces will continue to reduce involvement with future training. The MPs going through the course at Ghazni are already skilled at what they do and will be ready to be on their own before long, Douglas said.
“They’re very close [to being independent],” Douglas said. “I think this MP company specifically is some of the best trained within the brigade.”