CIVPOL Diary - November 2009

Canadian Police Commander’s Commentary

A/Comm Graham Muir, Canadian Police Commander in Afghanistan

I have been in Afghanistan as Canadian Police Commander for nearly six months, almost half of my term. I am very proud of serving Canadian police, both civilian and military. What we are accomplishing in the country is difficult and challenging, but all in the interest of making the Afghan National Police better able to serve their communities.

I will share a few impressions, based on my brief time ‘out and about’ in the city. Being posted in Kabul, I have recently been to Kandahar City and had the opportunity to hook up on the field on two occasions with Colonel David Chase, the American Company Commander of the 97th Military Police Battalion that works with us to police Kandahar City; both times affording me the opportunity to patrol on foot with his folks and the Afghan National Police (ANP).

First, it is plain to see that the ANP are not inclined to move among the people in any purposeful way -- either mounted or dismounted -- as police officers do back home. They do not have any previous history or conventions attached to ‘walking and talking’ with their public. Yet we know that interaction with the public is a condition to establishing trust and respect with the locals, all of which goes in favour of increased security - both real and perceived. We also know, especially in urban areas, that this is the only way that the ANP will come to know their community; who belongs and who doesn’t. And frankly, this is the hard business of policing in “the hold phase of a counterinsurgency”. In all the time that I patrolled on foot I never once saw a relaxed or confident look on the face of the ANP officers traveling with us. Walking around town was not a relaxed “tour” for these young officers. They were clearly out of their element and out of their comfort zone. If we cannot support the ANP in denying the insurgents the space and opportunity to move among their citizens, we will not prevail here and neither will the ANP.

On the other hand, during a subsequent foot patrol in a downtown market adjacent to the Provincial Police Headquarters, we lived a different experience. We passed many hundreds of Kandaharis and stopped to meet a few. There were no harsh words, nor voices raised in anger over our presence. On the contrary, we were mostly in receipt of smiles and welcoming waves. And innumerable kids asking for pens [for school].

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Afghan National Police officers must learn to move at will and with ease among their people. In some parts of the city police officers are still denied the ground by the insurgents. We are thus denied the opportunity to move with and to mentor them. Hence, the immediate challenge. Thankfully, most of the city is ours ‘to have and to hold’. It is for Canadian civilian police and other coalition police and military forces to mobilize the ANP and bring them out of their police stations to interact with their public. and their community.

It is true that progress is slow. The ANP has been hit hard by criticism. I understand this only too well. But we are only now witnessing the ingredients of potential success: increased mobility outside the wire with the American and Canadian forces; a well-consulted police plan ready for implementation with the ANP; and strong integrated operations among coalition partners.

Our team is conscious of the challenges ahead, but creativity, teamwork and persistence can make our presence meaningful for ANP because the population is visibly looking forward to a stronger police presence for their security. From what I can see based on my time patrolling the city, the people are ready for their police. Our job is to create, nurture and sustain a stable security environment that encourages much more of what we have just started.