Saipan policeman helps train Iraqi police

Editor’s note: This article and the accompanying photograph are part of a series of articles being provided the Saipan Tribune by SSG Fabian Indalecio, who is with Company E in Iraq.

IRAQ—As a police officer on Saipan and a combat soldier abroad, Sgt. Franklin DLG. Pangelinan of Company E 100 Battalion 442 Infantry thought his deployment to Iraq would mean a long break from police work. However, because of his extensive background and experience in law enforcement, he was selected to participate in an important mission that was given to the 100 Battalion 442 Infantry: For the past three months, he, along with six other soldiers within the battalion who are also police officers back home, has been training Iraqi police officers within the vicinity of the battalion’s area of operation. This group of trainers was named the Police Transition Team.

“When Staff Sgt. Frederick Quinene [of the Guam Police Department] and I were told about our selection, the first thing that came to our mind was, ‘Here we go again, back to police work.’ However, after the first week of training the Iraqi police, I kind of had a change of heart. I enjoy teaching and mentoring others and that is what I am doing in this mission,” he said.

As part of daily combat operations, the Police Transition Team heads out to the Iraqi police station within their area of operation, where training is conducted with the Iraqi police officers. Recent training consisted of Basic Uniform Standards and Personnel Inspection, Traffic Control Techniques, Traffic Stops, Vehicle and Residential Search Techniques, Body Search Techniques, Vehicle and Foot Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety and Survival, and Community Oriented Policing.

Courses are taught in a makeshift classroom environment with practical exercises and actual operations at the end of each course.

The Police Transition Team will continue training the Iraqi police for the next few months, with more courses offered, along with reinforcement training on courses already completed.

“In the beginning, we had some obstacles to overcome such as the language barrier, the differences in culture and law, the level of comprehension, the lack of confidence in each officer, and, most importantly, the possibility of insurgent attacks along the way. We have slowly overcome those obstacles but there is still much more work to be done,” Pangelinan said.

All courses were prepared based on each team member’s knowledge and experience. Pangelinan said that training manuals and books are “useless” because law enforcement in America is extremely different from the type of law enforcement that they have seen in Iraq.

“We catered to [their needs] and it is working out pretty well. Each officer underwent some sort of law enforcement training as part of the hiring process. Our intent was to supplement the training they have already received with the introduction of different techniques, tactics, and procedures, so that they can enhance and improve their present police force. We then needed to instill confidence in the police and the community, which was where Community Oriented Policing came to play. At first, the Iraqi police were not respected by the citizens. The Iraqi police did not believe in themselves and the community did not believe in them as well. Because they incorporated the training we provided them, we saw a huge turnaround in the police-community relations. The police evolved from being jobbers to professionals, and the community is taking a vital role in fighting crime and preserving peace. Uniformed officers and citizens are now helping one another. Overall, the quality of life within their area of operation has improved. We train these officers out in the open where we are all prone to insurgent attacks. Times have been good and times have been bad, but they drive on along with us. The Iraqi police control their own destiny; we just provide them with purpose, direction, and motivation. They are now the ones attempting to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. We help steer them the right way.”

Pangelinan has been deployed to Iraq since February this year. He has invested about eight years with the CNMI Department of Public Safety. His past operational assignments include the Patrol Section and Traffic Section. He is currently assigned to the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s Thief Apprehension Select Coalition, better known as T.A.S.C., a highly successful investigative unit that deals with crimes of burglary, robbery, and theft, to name a few.