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Monday, April 20, 2009

Iraq ups police presence to replace U.S. forces

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.

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