BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 8, 2004 — The Civilian Police Assistance Training Team delivered the first 16 of a scheduled 50 modified “technical” police vehicles to the Iraqi Police Service July 5 as part of the Coalition's ongoing effort to assist the Iraqi government in equipping its civil security forces.

The vehicles, four-door Nissan pickup trucks with special machine gun mounts attached to the truck bed were modified by Iraqi contractors north of the capital city at the Taji Military Training Base and will go to stations in the Baghdad area.

The remaining 34 Technicals, armed with Russian-made PKM machineguns, will go to additional Iraqi police service precincts in the city, as well.

“It's an attempt to adequately equip the Iraqi police with the equipment needed to fight the individuals bent on disrupting the peace and security efforts in the city,” said Coalition Police Assistance Training Team Operations Officer, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Robert K. Byrd.

“The vehicles are a direct response to the threats we see being posed here,” Byrd said.

The vehicles - designed to intimidate insurgents on foot - will be used to augment the existing police weaponry and support police operations, including counterinsurgency missions, as the government moves into its second week of sovereignty.

Another 50 identical vehicles - bringing the full delivery to 100 - will go to the Iraqi army's Iraqi Intervention Force now operating in the city. The Iraqi Intervention Force is specifically trained in counterinsurgency operations, as well.

The remaining police and intervention force vehicles will come online in the coming weeks as they await last minute modifications.

The Coalition Police Assistance Training Team, a branch of the Office of Security Transition, is specifically tasked with assisting the Iraqi government train, mentor, and equip the Iraqi civil security forces.