FORWARD OPERATING BASE SPIN BOLDAK, Afghanistan (May 28, 2013) -- Afghan Border and Uniformed Police received tactical site exploitation training, April 22-25, in the Spin Boldak district, Kandahar Province, here.
The training, also known as crime scene investigation, certified district and provincial police leaders as instructors on evidence collection in order to increase criminal prosecutions and increase rule of law.
The training consisted of classroom instructions and practical exercises on crime scene photography and security, fingerprint collection, logging and storing evidence and submitting it to crime laboratories that process the evidence in preparation for court.
"The court system here in Afghanistan is going to an evidence-based prosecution," said Clara Andree, a law enforcement professional with the Task Force 435, Mobile Training Team. "In other words, they want to see the pictures. They want to see the evidence. How it relates to the detainee."
"You can't beat that kind of stuff for a court case," said Andree. "When a judge can look at that picture and look at the suspect, and see him with the ammunition or the IED's (improvised explosive device's) chemicals; it helps tie it in all together."
"Everything was totally useful," said Afghan Border Police 1st Lt. Amarullah Sahibsada, the training officer for 5th Kandak, 3rd Zone ABP. "Basically, we need to make sure we have everything prepared."
The training is becoming more popular as the police learn the importance of being prepared for a court case. Government leaders are beginning to request training from Task Force 435 more often.
"They are realizing the importance," said Andree. "They were getting into court to try to prosecute and they don't have a lot of the stuff the judges are wanting."
"It's our job to show them what the judges are wanting," said Chief Warrant Officer Glen Gerald, the agent in charge of Security Force Assistance Investigations and a TSE instructor. "It has been requested repeatedly and we are trying to accommodate."
To help spread the knowledge learned in the class, the students were expected to give detailed briefings on their discoveries and techniques after the practical exercise. This helped to ensure that they could go back to their units and teach others and also helps the instructors learn what is sustainable.
"We try to stress thinking outside the box," said Andree.
"We tell them 'this is the way we do it but you'll have to mold it to what works best for you,'" said Gerald. "That's with everything we teach them."
"What I have learned in the [class] I am going to pass on to my personnel when I get to my Kandak," said Sahibsada. "Hopefully I can teach them exactly what I have learned from here."
At the end of the final day the students received certificates, a class photo and boxes of supplies and training materials to ensure that they will be able to pass on their knowledge and begin making an impact in the Afghanistan judicial system.
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