WASHINGTON, D.C. /eNewsChannels/ — A delegation of ten women police officers from Iraq arrived in the United States this week for three weeks of training, the first all-female delegation to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Iraq Police Education Program (IPEP). After meeting the group yesterday, Ambassador William R. Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) praised Iraqi Ministry of Interior (MOI) efforts to mainstream female officers and, by providing advanced training, to prepare them for leadership roles.
The officers represent a cross-section of the Iraqi MOI, including criminal investigation, domestic violence, and training units. Working with police forces in Michigan and Maryland, they will partner with American officers in classroom and “on the job” settings, and gain exposure to American culture.
Specialized training will focus on criminal investigation, forensics, and crime scene processing, while emphasizing techniques for countering violence against women. Leadership and management training will provide the tools for career advancement.
IPEP is managed by the International Association of the Chiefs of Police and its partner police departments and funded under an INL grant. The five-year, $8 million grant has facilitated training for more than 100 Iraqi police officers since the program’s inception in 2010.
