Afghan prison guards benefit from cell extraction, riot training in Panjshir

Courtesy Photo | Supporting photo of Dashtak prison in Bazarak District, Panjshir province, Afghanistan. Dashtak prison is the only prison in Panjshir Valley.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

01.29.2009

Story by Maj. Kimberly Garbett 

Combined Joint Task Force 101

By Air Force Maj. Kimberly Garbett
Combined Joint Task Force - 101

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Approximately 25 of Panjshir Valley Ministry of Justice's confinement guards and district training officers partnered with the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team security force members inside the Dashtak prison for cell extraction techniques and riot control training, Jan. 29.

"The first step in how to quell a riot," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Charles Lambe, Panjshir PRT security forces non-commissioned officer in charge, "is to separate the rioters from those not rioting...and even before this occurs, you need to have teams with team members trained and roles pre-determined and rehearsed before a riot commences."

"If your team looks like you know what you're doing, you increase your chances for success exponentially," added Air Force Senior Airmen Wade Lambe, a Panjshir PRT security forces member, who assisted with take-down demonstrations and role-playing the would-be rioter.

"This is the first time a PRT has partnered with the prison guards and trainers at Dashtak," said Army Master Sgt. Blue Rowe, Panjshir PRT civil-military affairs non-commissioned officer in charge.

"It's obvious the guards have had some prior training [in prison extraction]...but what they lack is equipment necessary to do the job," said Lambe.

"In order to perform cell extraction and proper riot control, they unfortunately lack some of the basics such as restraining devices [i.e. handcuffs], helmets, shields and belly chains....and, of course, the biggest hurdle is funding," Lambe said.

"They also do not have a prison for women, nor a juvenile detention facility, which is something the Panjshir Ministry of Justice hopes to work on developing; plans, however, are in the initial stages," said Rowe.

"Our ultimate goal in partnering with the Dashtak prison guards is to provide needed training [to enhance security and governance], be a liaison and ultimately, be good neighbors," said Rowe.

Qurban Muhammed, Dashtak prison lead training officer, said, "I am so thrilled to have the PRT and the Americans here to train us. It is one hundred percent valuable for us; we believe the continued partnership will prove extremely valuable and successful."

Abdul Habib, training officer for the Paryan detaining facility, mentioned he was "grateful for the PRT coming to train them at Dashtak District so that we can do our best to improve our methods, training and techniques at our facilities in each of our districts around the province; it allows us to increase our security and governance abilities across the Panjshir province."

According to Tom Kelsey, Panjshir PRT director, "This partnership in training [with the PRT and Dashtak] is only another notch in the wall of successes for Panjshir, as they continue to lead the way in Afghanistan in security, governance and development."

• Date Taken: 01.29.2009
• Date Posted: 02.12.2009 14:56
• Story ID: 29961
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF