Citizens Receive Direct Aid From Iraqi Security Forces
In the past, during the regime of Saddam Hussein, the police in Wasit province was a paramilitary police force, and the local citizens were scared, they feared the police. Well gradually with the assistance of the coalition, it has been transitioning to a more traditional, user friendly police force.
The Iraqi police that have military backgrounds are assigned to checkpoints and special response teams, and those new police officers that have not previously been in the military are the ones that are being assigned to community police stations.
This setup is working, and many of the new police officers are able to relate with the community better as they are often from the local region, and are known in the community, and thus seen as more friendly and approachable.
The military minds work better in the specialized response teams, because this is a more military type role, and it gives everyone a role that meets how they have been trained.
The biggest thing has been changing the image of the Iraqi police, and it is something that is new for all, community policing, and interacting with citizens, this is new information that is being taught successfully by the coalition, and they are being successful in a number of ways.
