"U.S. Soldiers train Iraqi Police on 'CSI' skills"
Baghdad, Iraq, September, 2005

     U.S. military police are training junior Iraqi Police (IP) officers in skills they need to conduct thorough crime scene investigations. Soldiers from 720th Military Police Battalion, operating in support of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, set up three stations in a Rustimiyah building designed to train IP lieutenants and captains to document evidence properly, identify and safeguard important evidence and secure a crime scene.

"These lieutenants and captains are out on the streets, responding to crimes, so it’s important we help them become as capable and knowledgeable as possible," said CPT John Copeland, an IP advisor with the 720th MP Battalion.

"They typically have quite a few patrolmen under them that they’ll train." "We’re focusing on the mid-level managers because they’re fairly fresh to the force, eager to learn and willing to change," added Copeland, a San Antonio, Texas, native.

"At the same time, they have enough rank to effect change within the force." Four groups of IPs moved through the three training stations throughout the day, and seemed receptive to the training.

"It’s very good – we’re learning about fingerprinting and collecting evidence today, I am responsible for almost 200 people, and I will show them what I have learned," said 1LT Ahmed Abdel Rahman, an IP officer in Baghdad.

At one station, IPs were presented with a simulated murder scene, which they had to secure and comb for evidence. They then carefully collected and documented the evidence.

Another station involved watching clips from the television show "CSI (Crime Scene Investigators)," which they then discussed. CPT Copeland described the exercise as a test of the IPs’ attention to detail.

At the third station, MPs showed the IPs how to document evidence on standardized forms. Currently, police reports are often presented to Iraqi courts as informal notes. “This is advanced training that most IPs have limited experience with,” CPT Copeland said.

"When they implement these skills into their police work, we’ll start to see more convictions stick." 1LT Rahman said his experiences working with Iraqi Police liaison officers have been extremely beneficial.

IPLOs are typically former U.S. police officers who train IPs in Iraq on a daily basis. IPLO Jose Guillan, a former member of the Houston Police Department, said the 720th MP Battalion deserves a great deal of credit for helping bring the IPs where they are today.

"The Army got stations up and running by providing infrastructure like barriers and guard towers," Guillan said. "The IPs have really responded to the military support they receive – they’re taking more initiative every day."

Although many of the junior officers are relatively new to the force, some are veterans who were forced out under Saddam Hussein’s regime. "I’ve been a police officer since 1970, until Saddam drove me out in 1995," said Warrant Officer Kadim Hassan Kadim, who currently serves in Sadr City. "This is very important training – we will conduct our work with less mistakes. It gives us a good advantage against the criminals in Baghdad." Kadim said he is hopeful for the future of Baghdad under the protection of the Iraqi Police. "We put our hand in the people’s hand, and lead them to a better future," the experienced officer said. "It is the beginning of a change that all Arabs can be proud of."

Edited from: Article, U.S. Soldiers train Iraqi Police on ‘CSI’ skills, by SPC Ben Brody, 2nd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), PAO CAMPRUSTIMIYAH, Iraq.