Officials said the Jordan International Police Training Center
terminated basic training for Iraqi police recruits in March 2007. They said
the move was part of a U.S. Defense Department plan to transfer basic
training of Iraqi police to new facilities in Iraq.
"Because sufficient training capacity exists inside Iraq, the Jordan
International Police Training Center is scheduled to cease basic-level
training by March 2007, although the Department of State is looking at
options to keep it open, to train limited numbers of Iraqi police officers
in leadership and specialized courses, after DoD funding for the facility
ends," a Pentagon report said.
The Pentagon allocated an estimated $1.7 billion to train more than
32,000 Iraqi police recruits at the Jordan International Police Training
Center. The Amman-based center was designed and financed in a $500 million
project, and has also enabled the training of U.S. forces.
In 2007, officials said, the majority of Iraqi police academies were
scheduled to be transferred to the control of the Iraqi Interior Ministry.
The two exceptions are the BPC and the Jordan International Police Training
Center.
U.S. Central Command chief Adm. William Fallon said the Jordanian
International Police Training Center trained more than 50,000 Iraqi police
officers. Fallon told the House Armed Services Committee on April 18 that
other Jordanian schools have been instructing Iraqi military forces, air
traffic controllers, and aviation inspectors.
"Jordan is a regional leader in security and counter-terror training,
and hosts major initiatives for developing security capabilities," Fallon
said.
