Posted on 12/29/2009 4:30:11 PM PST by SandRat
Iraqi law enforcement officers search for clues as to why a car exploded during a recent training session sponsored by the 591st Military Police Company, 151st Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade, at Camp Taqaddum. Photo by Spc. Edward Siguenza, 49th MPB.
TAQADDUM — More than a dozen Iraqi law enforcement officers recently completed a four-day Crime Scene Investigation course instructed by U.S. Military Police here.
The Iraqi officers, representing three distinguished organizations, earned Army certificates and kudos from the 591st Military Police Company, 151st Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade instructors and the 49th's commander, Brig. Gen. Donald Currier. The officers completed a series of training scenarios that included classroom and field work in evidence collection.
"We focused on crime scene processing,” said Staff Sgt. Ismael Leon, a class instructor. “We gave them scenarios and tools and let them do their thing."
The first day set the tone for this unique training. The Iraqi participants engaged in a question-and-answer session with a prestigious Iraqi judge, who provided invaluable suggestions on what adjudicators like to see in criminal cases.
"That was really impressive; that doesn't happen a lot when a judge speaks to detectives," said Capt. Violeta Sifuentes, 591st company commander. "There was really good back-and-forth communication. The judge talked about forensics and crime scenes, things that are important to a case; things judges like to see."
When the 591st, based out of Fort Bliss, Texas, opened this training to various law enforcement sectors in this Iraqi region, close to 20 officers responded. They represented the National Iraqi Information Agency, Criminal Investigation Division and Counter-Terrorism Unit.
One scenario took the participants outdoors to a secluded site. There, they united to investigate a vehicle blown up purposely for the training. They had to contain the site, find evidence and draw conclusions as to the cause of the crime. All evidence was collected and taken back to the classroom.
Army and U.S. civilian advisors evaluated the Iraqi participants, critiquing how the officers worked as a team and went about handling the simulated crime scenes.
"The goal is to have them become proficient in the collection of evidence," Sifuentes said. "Properly collecting and handling evidence can lead to the conviction of suspects in a criminal case."
"Things like getting fingerprints, that's a big thing as far as evidence," added Leon. "Fingerprints make it easier to solve cases. It's really important in getting cases solved."
Leon showed the students how to properly "book" suspects, including how to get suspects to place their fingerprints onto sheets of paper. "It looked easy at first, but then when they tried it, they found it wasn't as easy as it seems," said Leon.
"What we wanted the most was to get them to understand they have to work as a team," added Sifuentes. "And they have to learn there are different techniques of collecting evidence. There's also officer safety that they need to keep in mind."
The training concluded with a graduation ceremony where Currier assisted in handling out certificates of completion to each Iraqi student.
(By Spc. Edward Siguenza, 49th Military Police Brigade)
CSI: Baghdad
CSI: Baghdad
After we leave they will revert back to using blowtorches and pliers.
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