Taliban turn gunsights to Afghan police
About 300 Afghan police officers have been killed in the past three months, making 2007 the worst year ever for the country's undertrained, underpaid police force.
from the June 25, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
To compensate, some provinces have seen the formation of traditional tribal policing systems. The Ghazni provincial police chief, for example, has said he could summon at least 500 militiamen to combat insurgents if needed; similar claims have been made by community leaders in other troubled provinces.
The government is also establishing a 5,000-man reserve force known as the Afghan National Civil Order Police. It will be deployed to central provinces where it can provide "quick-response support wherever regular police are attacked," says Bashary, adding that the first 300 recruits have arrived in Kabul for the final phase of training. "They will go in and pound the enemy, and then withdraw."
Adding to that, the European Union has taken over police training duties from Germany, dispatching 60 advisers to restive districts to improve capabilities, with another 100 on their way. More are expected to arrive as the Afghan government seeks to boost police forces by 20,000 men from the current level of about 62,000 over the next couple of years, the spokesman said.
The United States, for its part, is providing armored vehicles resistant to mines and attacks from improvised exposive devices, and Afghan officials are optimistic that a large slice of the $8 billion security package Congress approved earlier this year will be spent on police reform.
"All of the international community now understands that the police are the main factor for security and stability in the provinces," says Bashary. "They are directly engaged on the front lines … and should at least be paid equal to the Army, since they are doing very much more."
Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin, head of the Combined Security Transition Command, which is tasked with carrying out police reform, says he expects salaries to be raised to Army level within a month. To address internal problems, police have also set up their own system for investigating corruption in the ranks, including a toll-free number installed three months ago that has reportedly received dozens of complaint calls on matters ranging from pay distribution to mistreatment at the hands of superiors.
So in the meantime, what are the incentives to wear a uniform?
"We love our country and are working almost without salary," says Ahmed Haidari, a soon-to-be graduate from the Kabul Police Academy. "Our country has known war for many years, and we will not back down now from the Taliban."
But, he adds, "If I get married, I might have to find a different job. Women and children are expensive."
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