BAGHDAD Ñ Iraq, under a deadline for a U.S. military withdrawal, has
sought to accelerate police recruitment and training.
Officials said the Interior Ministry has been recruiting thousands of
cadets for the police in 2009. They said the recruits have been undergoing
eight-week training courses for deployment as officers throughout Iraq.
"More professionally trained officers are on the streets of Baghdad and
throughout Iraq," U.S. Army Maj. Robert Arnold, a commander of a training
team, said. "They are restoring a sense of normalcy to cities and towns
around the country. They are the citizen's first line of security."
One police basic training course in 2009 began in February with more
than 700 recruits. The course ended in April with 537 police cadets being
graduated at Al Furat Iraqi Police training center, Middle East Newsline reported.
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Officials said this marked the fifth Iraqi police class to graduate from
the academy in Al Furat over the last four months. In March 2009, a class of
314 graduated and were deployed to patrol duties throughout Iraq.
"These regular graduations are tangible proof the government of Iraq has
kept its promise," Gen. Ali Adnan Yunis, commander of the police provincial
directorate, said. "It offered Iraqi police jobs and training to those who
care for the safety and security of Iraq's communities."
Officials said the U.S. military has determined that the Baghdad
government must significantly increase the police presence. They said the
Interior Ministry has sought to expand the police force to 500,000 by 2011.