Military Police

Spring 2013

Military Police contains information about military police functions in maneuver and mobility support, area security, law and order, internment/resettlement, and police intelligence operations.

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Police Company and rule of late-night operation. Expecting "Warrant-based targeting takes the to see various maliks protesting law advisors, the prosecutor agreed to host several rule of decisionmaking authority from coalition the detention at the district center law shuras (consultations) forces and places it in the hands of the the next day, leaders of the 549th aimed at educating the public Afghan judicial system, and it highlights Military Police Company arrived on Afghan constitutional law. prepared to assist the district Previous coordination with the transparancy of that system. It also subgovernor in engaging the the district governor ensured places the responsibility in the hands of local populace and in mitigating maximum participation among the AUP, the district prosecuter, and the negative information associated the senior maliks (chieftains) with the operation. However, GIRoA." and shura attendees and allowed upon their arrival, the 549th the exclusion of coalition forces discovered that the district center from the meeting. Meetings took place at the district center; was operating under normal conditions and that there was no and discussions were led by the prosecutor, who reinforced crowd containing frustrated local elders or prominent leaders. the notion that his power base was the legitimate extension The operation demonstrated the capabilities of the AUP, the of Afghan law. Hosting the shura at the district center further district prosecutor, and the GIRoA; it also revealed that the emphasized the role and authority of the GIRoA, as locals were locals understood and respected the Afghan legal process and obligated to attend the shura at the invitation of the district the authority of the GIRoA. governor. The shura provided the GIRoA with the platform Warrant-based targeting takes the decisionmaking authority that it needed (without the presence of coalition forces) to from coalition forces and places it in the hands of the Afghan broadcast its message that the GIRoA is in charge. judicial system, and it highlights the transparency of that Execution of Deliberate, Warrant-Based Detentions system. It also places the responsibility in the hands of the From unit arrival, company leaders worked closely with AUP, the district prosecutor, and the GIRoA. A deliberate law enforcement professionals (who had partnered with education strategy, combined with the integration of the rule the provincial National Directorate for Security) to gather of law and warrant-based targeting, helped mitigate nearly all enough information to warrant the detention of various locals negative information associated with the successful capture of associated with a Shinwar District improvised explosive device the improvised explosive device facilitator, helped enhance cell. However, without the approval of the district prosecutor, AUP capabilities, and helped highlight the transparency of the the local population was unlikely to perceive the operation as Afghan judicial process. Afghan-led and -executed. In order for the district prosecutor, Problem Set 2: Combined and the district governor, and the Afghan Uniformed Police Unilateral Operations (AUP) to take responsibility for detentions and subsequent Leaders of the 549th Military Police Company quickly prosecutions, they were the ones who needed the information. Law enforcement professionals and leaders of the 549th identi¿ed a very capable Afghan police force from within the Military Police Company worked together to create a draft Shinwar and surrounding districts; however, the capability intelligence summary (releasable to the GIRoA) for various of the force was overshadowed by a lack of con¿dence. This local criminals. The 549th Military Police Company delivered lack of con¿dence initially hindered the ability of the Afghan the summary to the prosecutor and National Directorate police force to conduct law and order operations in areas for Security of¿cials. Not only did the document contain where members of the force believed that criminal capabilities relevant information that led to the issuance of a warrant, it exceeded their own. To address this issue, company leaders— also empowered the district prosecutor to make a decision, who were keenly aware that a balanced approach was necessary which meant that he assumed some level of responsibility in order to avoid enhancing con¿dence among the Afghans for the subsequent detention. Following the prosecutor's while, in reality, coalition forces were conducting operations— issuance of the warrant to the chief of police, the prosecutor discussed an in-depth approach to building con¿dence. A series and the chief of police invited the district subgovernor to the of discussions between leaders of the 549th Military Police police station to discuss the operation. The subgovernor's Company and local Afghan leaders and chiefs of police led to attendance and subsequent approval meant that the approval the development of a mutually agreeable concept. of the GIRoA had been secured. This was an important Step 1: AUP Partnered Patrols postoperation mitigation strategy that alleviated pressure on It is dif¿cult to convince a small Afghan police force to the AUP, which had previously been forced to defend itself against frustrated citizens following an operation in which the execute its duties against insurgent forces that are equipped subgovernor remained uninvolved. A month after the arrival of with heavy machine guns and various other weapon systems the 549th Military Police Company, the AUP, in coordination without support from coalition forces. Early on, the 549th with the Shinwar District prosecutor and subgovernorÑand Military Police Company and security force assistance team without coalition forces assistance—conducted a deliberate, (SFAT)/security force assistance advisory team (SFAAT) unilateral detention of a suspected improvised explosive advisors agreed to surge AUP-partnered patrols in areas that device facilitator and prominent local businessman during a the chief of police had identi¿ed as "volatile." Mounted and MILITARY POLICE . 19-13-1 17

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