BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 8, 2004 — The Civilian Police Assistance Training Team graduated 80 Iraqi Police Service officers from four classes at the Adnon Training Facility July 7 as part of the Coalition’s ongoing effort to assist the Iraqi government’s security efforts, according to Office of Security Transition officials.

The courses, meant to augment the standard eight-week basic training and three-week prior-service transition integration program courses, included 11 Mid-level Management course graduates, 28 Basic Criminal Investigations course graduates, 27 Criminal Intelligence course graduates, and 14 Executive Leadership course graduates.

The commencements mark the continued iteration of the four specialty courses at the school and the first group of Coalition trained officers to graduate since the June 28 handover.

Several classes graduated prior to the handover.

“Every day with graduations like these, the Iraqi police get stronger,” said Steve Casteel, Iraqi Ministry of Interior senior consultant. “This makes the Iraqi government stronger,” Casteel added.

Subject-matter in the one and two-week courses run the gamut with students in the basic criminal investigations course negotiating substantive and investigative forensic evidence gathering procedures training, and students in the

criminal intelligence course training in information collection methodologies practices.

Mid-level management officers were taught leadership and management fundamentals, with senior officers in the executive leadership course receiving strategic planning, project management, decision-making styles, and team building instruction. Both management courses emphasized the importance of leaders providing good employee, organization, and community stewardship.

The Civilian Police Assistance Training Team will continue to work and assist the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, with future offerings of the same classes for all officers throughout the country. New classes will commence in the coming weeks.

“The implementation of these, and other specialized and advanced courses, demonstrates to the Iraqi Police Service a real commitment to provide substantial police training assistance across many functional areas,” said Mark Weaver, Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, training and standards executive officer - a civilian with the Coalition unit.

“The courses have been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the Iraqi Police Service,” Weaver said.

The Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, a branch of the Office of Security Transition is specifically tasked with assisting the Iraqi government in training, mentoring, and equipping the Iraqi civil security forces.