The New Law and Order June 10, 2006
The New Law and Order
June 10, 2006
A man enjoys a quiet moment in his yard, sipping a beverage, listening to the birds. Suddenly, an angry gunman shatters the calm. He shouts at the first man, then shoots him and flees the scene. Within minutes a squad car arrives, and a team of Iraqi police rush to secure the crime scene. The murder weapon is discovered in a patch of tall grass. The suspect is apprehended down the street and, after being questioned, confesses to the crime. Too good to be true? Well, yes. In fact, the events described here were staged. This mock crime scene was part of a recent Police Symposium held in Kirkuk, designed to showcase the newly acquired investigative skills of the Kirkuk Police.
Most Americans, with our love of television, are familiar with the police investigation process; we are well aware of standard practices followed in the event a crime has been committed. We know the scene of the crime must be secured. Evidence must be gathered, witnesses located and questioned. Captain Jerome Converse, of Springfield, Tennessee, led a presentation at the Symposium highlighting the building blocks of our system of policing, most of which were not present in the Iraqi police force of old. What we consider fundamental, almost instinctive, is not universally so. In Iraq, the idea that a case must be built around facts, evidence, and the testimony of witnesses is new. Justice as we know it is a new concept here.
The Iraqi people have never known the level of safety and security we take for granted in the United States. Creating an atmosphere where citizens trust in authority, where justice is not dispensed with an iron fist, is a complicated process. The Iraqi Police may be the most important tool in the fight against the methods and attitudes that linger from the previous regime. The fact that many members of today’s police force were trained during the reign of Saddam Hussein adds to the challenge facing the people of Iraq and the Coalition Forces working with them. Is it possible to undo decades of abusive behavior and inhumane practices? Yes, but it will take some time.
Captain Richard Snodgrass, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Captain Myron Medlin, of Branson, Missouri, together with other members of an Army Reserve Unit attached to the 101st Airborne Division, are working closely with the Kirkuk Police to help them adopt modern techniques in law enforcement with an emphasis on human rights. What we would consider common knowledge is new information to a generation of police officers who used to serve a dictator, but who now serve the Iraqi people. The Police Symposium marked the completion of a four week retraining program attended by police chiefs and other high-ranking officers from throughout the Kirkuk province.
Iraqi citizens are not used to regarding the police as a benevolent force. At the same time, the Iraqi Police are being targeted by insurgents. Keeping these officers focused and dedicated to carrying out their duties with integrity in this atmosphere of distrust requires the efforts of a team of experts in the field of law enforcement, experts who believe passionately in the value of our system of justice. Our team of Reservists, together with the help of interpreters and private citizens hired by the State Department, are doing their best to make sure the Kirkuk Police have all of the information and support they need to succeed.
At the close of the Police Symposium, Colonel David Gray, Commander of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, presented each officer with a certificate, a symbol of a new era, a new set of values. Many officers took pictures during the closing ceremony, clearly proud of how far they had come. It may be a while before the Kirkuk Police solve a murder in less than ten minutes. And longer still before they inspire a television show. But they put on a good show, and the world is watching.
June 10, 2006
A man enjoys a quiet moment in his yard, sipping a beverage, listening to the birds. Suddenly, an angry gunman shatters the calm. He shouts at the first man, then shoots him and flees the scene. Within minutes a squad car arrives, and a team of Iraqi police rush to secure the crime scene. The murder weapon is discovered in a patch of tall grass. The suspect is apprehended down the street and, after being questioned, confesses to the crime. Too good to be true? Well, yes. In fact, the events described here were staged. This mock crime scene was part of a recent Police Symposium held in Kirkuk, designed to showcase the newly acquired investigative skills of the Kirkuk Police.
Most Americans, with our love of television, are familiar with the police investigation process; we are well aware of standard practices followed in the event a crime has been committed. We know the scene of the crime must be secured. Evidence must be gathered, witnesses located and questioned. Captain Jerome Converse, of Springfield, Tennessee, led a presentation at the Symposium highlighting the building blocks of our system of policing, most of which were not present in the Iraqi police force of old. What we consider fundamental, almost instinctive, is not universally so. In Iraq, the idea that a case must be built around facts, evidence, and the testimony of witnesses is new. Justice as we know it is a new concept here.
The Iraqi people have never known the level of safety and security we take for granted in the United States. Creating an atmosphere where citizens trust in authority, where justice is not dispensed with an iron fist, is a complicated process. The Iraqi Police may be the most important tool in the fight against the methods and attitudes that linger from the previous regime. The fact that many members of today’s police force were trained during the reign of Saddam Hussein adds to the challenge facing the people of Iraq and the Coalition Forces working with them. Is it possible to undo decades of abusive behavior and inhumane practices? Yes, but it will take some time.
Captain Richard Snodgrass, of Memphis, Tennessee, and Captain Myron Medlin, of Branson, Missouri, together with other members of an Army Reserve Unit attached to the 101st Airborne Division, are working closely with the Kirkuk Police to help them adopt modern techniques in law enforcement with an emphasis on human rights. What we would consider common knowledge is new information to a generation of police officers who used to serve a dictator, but who now serve the Iraqi people. The Police Symposium marked the completion of a four week retraining program attended by police chiefs and other high-ranking officers from throughout the Kirkuk province.
Iraqi citizens are not used to regarding the police as a benevolent force. At the same time, the Iraqi Police are being targeted by insurgents. Keeping these officers focused and dedicated to carrying out their duties with integrity in this atmosphere of distrust requires the efforts of a team of experts in the field of law enforcement, experts who believe passionately in the value of our system of justice. Our team of Reservists, together with the help of interpreters and private citizens hired by the State Department, are doing their best to make sure the Kirkuk Police have all of the information and support they need to succeed.
At the close of the Police Symposium, Colonel David Gray, Commander of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, presented each officer with a certificate, a symbol of a new era, a new set of values. Many officers took pictures during the closing ceremony, clearly proud of how far they had come. It may be a while before the Kirkuk Police solve a murder in less than ten minutes. And longer still before they inspire a television show. But they put on a good show, and the world is watching.
posted by Shelby Monroe at 2:34 AM
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