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KONDUZ, Afghanistan (July 29, 2008) - More than 200 students
processed into the regional training center here July 19 for
focused district development training, a program to create a
professional and well-trained police force for Afghanistan,
district by district.
Afghan National Police and Afghan civilians handled the
processing with help from Combined Security Transition Command
Afghanistan mentors.
Although the coalition mentors serving as subject-matter experts
were on hand to advise their Afghan counterparts, the process was
almost completely Afghan-led.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Sheila Pearson, a recruiting mentor and Konduz
processing team leader, explained that the team's goal is to help
Afghan National Police leaders develop a sturdy processing system
for police training, which leads to a trustworthy force.
"The goal to cleanse the ANP is started here at the [regional
training center]," she said. "By cleanse, I mean to make sure the
people the ANP are recruiting and training are good, trustworthy
people. This is the start of that progression."
She said that having this process led by Afghans is the first
step in building trust in the police force for the people of
Afghanistan.
"Being responsible for the screening, training them correctly
and then sending them back out into the community so the people can
trust them and believe in them, is a huge step," she said.
During their enrollment, the students meet with an Afghan
personnel representative who collects their individual data, then
assigns them a processing number. This number, along with the
personnel information, is used to track the students at the
training center.
Once the students finish with the personnel representative, the
Afghan ID card team collects additional information. They check
their database to determine whether the student already has a
national identification card and verify the expiration date as
applicable. If the student does not have a national ID, more
personal data is collected.
The students also go through a medical screening for basic vital
signs, sight and hearing tests, immunizations, and a drug
screening. Based on the results of the medical screening, an Afghan
doctor makes a recommendation on qualification or
disqualification.
The students also undergo a biometrics screening, which compares
unique physical traits of the students to a criminal database. As
part of the biometrics screening, the students have their photos,
fingerprints, handprints and irises scanned by a Ministry of
Interior biometrics team.
Army Sergeant Wayne Demar, a Combined Security Transition
Command Afghanistan biometrics coordinator, said the screening
benefits the Afghan National Police in more ways than just tracking
students.
"I think the biometrics screening process works as a deterrent,"
he said. "If these men know that the system will identify anyone
who has committed any crimes, it will deter the criminals from
trying to enter the force."
After the biometrics screening, Air Force Capt. Sam Shimp,
finance reform officer for the security transition command, talks
with the students to determine any pay issues. He also gives the
students a finance briefing, letting them know what pay to expect
while they are in training and when they return to their
districts.
He said electronic funds transfer, which deposits salaries
directly into bank accounts, is a way to cut down on pay
disbursement problems inside the force.
"Their previous pay-by-list system, in which one person collects
and distributes money for the group, wasn't ideal. By the time the
money reached the students, it wasn't the full amount they were
owed," Shimp said. "Now, 17 of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan have
[electronic funds transfer], and it's effective, because it cuts
down on the corruption of money changing hands."
Lastly, students receive new uniforms, boots and other gear. Air
Force Chief Master Sgt. William Sciarretta, logistics
superintendent, said the police officers who work at the regional
training center are responsible for issuing the gear, while he
oversees the process.
"This time, we tried to hold them responsible for the process,"
Sciarretta said. "The questions they ask show they understand the
process."
Sciarretta also considers the new uniforms and gear to be
another way the Afghan National Police will gain trust from the
people of Afghanistan.
"This not only standardizes the force, but brings it up to a
certain standard. It gives them a greater capability to defend
themselves, as well as a better image," he said.
Afghan National Police Col. Hadid Khan, Konduz training
commander, echoed the mentors' sentiments.
"We are a team, and we are working together and helping to
improve the police together," Hadid said. "Our country is
different, because some people linked with the enemy try to join
the police. This system will find the bad people and keep them from
our force. The people of Afghanistan will understand that."
While a district's police officers spend two months in focused
district development training, highly trained Afghan National Civil
Order Police fill in for them in their district. When the newly
trained police return to their district, coalition mentors help
them apply their training.
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