Resurrecting the Iraqi Police: Observations of an American Street Cop in Iraq

The challenges faced by the coalition forces are ever-growing,and the need for real solutions is increasingly urgent. In coffee shops across America-and across the world-people of all political, educational, and moral backgrounds share similar discussions of current events. The topics of the morning: Iraq and the mismanagement of the war on terror. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, the American soldiers and the Iraqi police were left to pick up the pieces of the shattered country. That is, until American law enforcement personnel joined the fray. Former Midwest police officer Larry D. Allen delivers a firsthand account of how the logical path to success in Iraq will be paved with the training of Iraqi police forces by civilian American police officers. His personal perspective on a complicated war brings home one simple truth: no matter what the goal, both Iraq and the United States will only succeed if their militaries partner with proactive and dedicated civilian police-the folks on the ground working among the people.