Afghan police learn advance tactics

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

01.07.2011

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL, Afghanistan – Fifteen Afghan Uniformed Police recently participated in a 10-day advanced training course taught by the Police Advisory Team with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 2, in Musa Qal’ah, Helmand province.

The police received classes on weapons, first aid, searches, and community policing techniques, to include classes on Afghan history and law.

“The community policing portion of the training will give the [uniformed police] the skills needed to perform their duty to protect and serve the people,” said Sgt. Danna Berry, platoon sergeant for the Police Advisory Team.

“The advanced training course is set in a structured format, which allows the [uniformed police] to take the skills they learned at their basic course and build on that foundation with more advanced skills,” said Capt. Marc Bullock, officer in charge of the Police Advisory Team.

Each portion is broken into three sections. They begin with classroom instruction followed by a demonstration and hands-on session. It ends with a practical application, where uniformed police display their comprehension.

“The main goal is to give them the skills they’ll require to be what the people need,” said Berry. “Their situation is unique because they live and work in a combat zone, meaning they have to be ready to transition from a police force to an infantry style unit, ready to combat the enemy and then transition back to a force ready to protect and serve the people. So the course instruction is based on infantry tactics as well as community policing.”

Although this is the first group of Afghan Uniformed Police to take part in the course Berry says, the police are responding well to the training.

“We’re learning a lot of very good things that will help us in our job,” said Abdul Wasay, a police medic with the [uniformed police]. “With exercises like these we will keep getting better and better.”

• Date Taken: 01.07.2011
• Date Posted: 01.07.2011 07:18
• Story ID: 63170
• Location: KABUL, AF