Training pays off, Iraqi police set to lead

[unhappycamper]

Training pays off, Iraqi police set to lead
By Vince Little, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, February 7, 2008

RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq — Iraqi police have made a “quantum leap forward” the last five years and sit on the cusp of taking the lead for all security matters in east Baghdad, the 95th Military Police Battalion commander said.

Actually getting there is proving more elusive.

Lt. Col. John Bogdan said recruiting remains a top priority, but Iraqi police stand fully trained and functional in the area, where the 95th is working to build 50 stations scattered over an expansive 295 square miles.

The battalion, which deployed in October from Mannheim, Germany, coordinates its mission with eight different U.S. military “landowners.” The unit has almost 800 soldiers in Iraq.

“The end-state objective is ( for us ) to slowly phase away and let the ISF (Iraqi security forces) take the lead, instead of being over their shoulder all the time,” said Bogdan, 42, of Richmond, Va. “I’m not sure that can happen in our tour here, but it’s what we’re trying to achieve.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52266