KIRKUK, Iraq -- 'Titan' Soldiers of 512th Military Police Company, 92nd Military Police Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., are scheduled to begin training with the first Joint Investigation Team in Iraq, at the Kirkuk Training Center, Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq, May 15.
The Iraqi Security Forces have been training on criminal investigation for years, but the JIT is unique because it combines different investigative teams together, according to Sgt. 1st Class Robert Cannon, a native of Jacksonville, Ill., and police training team noncommissioned officer-in-charge with Headquarters Platoon, 512th MP Company.
The teams include; Iraqi police investigation officers, Kirkuk Major Crimes Unit, members of an International Police Advisor Trainer Team, law enforcement professionals and 'Titan' Soldiers who will first train together then work cases together.
Before working together the team will train for 30 days on securing and processing a crime scene, and other techniques used to solve a case.
After completing the course the team will then begin working on cases picked out by ISF leadership.
"This is the other unique factor of the JIT, it is completely run by ISF leadership," said Cannon.
Iraqi security force leadership chose the members of the team, the training and in the end will choose the cases they will work on, he continued.
A JIT member, Maj. Samier, lead investigator at the Adazi Police Station, Kirkuk, Iraq, said the team would greatly benefit the area and he looks forward to the training.
Everyone involved with the JIT has very high hopes for the team, said Cannon. "If we are successful, we could reach the common goal of defeating organized crime."