BAGHDAD - Iraqi judges from Mahmudiyah met with local Iraqi Police to learn proper investigative techniques in order to protect human rights and adhere to the rule of law at the Mahmudiyah public library in Mahmudiyah March 12.
Brig. Gen. Abed, Iraqi Police Mahmudiyah District commander, and Brig. Gen. Talib, Iraqi Police Battalion Deputy Commander brought 40-50 Iraqi Police to the conference with judges from the Mahmudiyah court house. The meeting was the first between the two groups.
"This was a historic event for Mahmudiyah, and a true sign of progress that the IP and [Iraqi judges] were talking to each other. Investigative training for the IPs has been conducted successfully in other provinces, but this is the first time that it has happened in Mahmudiyah and it shows what can happen when there are good security conditions in the Qada," said Capt. Jamie Rodriguez, of Tampa, Fla., Judge Advocate General attorney, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division- Baghdad.
Another goal of the conference was to start a dialogue between the local Judges and the IPs in the Mahmudiyah area, with the desired effect of having more arrests and convictions based on good forensics and police investigation. The Iraqi Police currently has many new recruits who may not understand proper evidence collection techniques, and don't communicate with the judges.
"It (the conference) was important because it gets the police talking to the judges and asking them questions to get their legal opinions," said Pittsburgh, Pa. native Lt. Col. Matthew McKenna, deputy commanding officer, 2nd BCT, 1st Armd. Div. "It becomes even more important for the future of Iraq once the Iraqi Army starts to leave the urban areas and the police start taking over (providing protection to the Iraqi people)."
During the conference, the judges and the IP leadership discussed crime scene investigation and at the end of the meeting, several investigators had the chance to ask the judges questions regarding specific fact scenarios. The judges explained their reasoning for requiring certain evidence, mostly because of the strict process for both warrants and convictions under Iraqi law.
The IPs and Iraqi judges, working much more closely together, is a step in the right direction when it comes to making improvements in the investigation process, according to Rodriguez.
"The IP were able to see the judges and became aware that the judges are approachable and should be more involved in the police investigative process, whereas before the judges were removed from the process, leading to poor police reports and insufficient evidence to convict criminals," said Rodriguez.
The security situation in Mahmudiyah has improved a great deal over the past year and allows Iraqis to have meetings such as this that were unthinkable a year or two ago, according to Rodriguez.
The role of the IP is and will continue to be vital, as the Coalition Forces leave Iraq and the Iraqi Army withdraw from the cities. MND-B Soldiers are providing the IP the tools to succeed in this mission as they take over local security.
"Today was the beginning of the Iraqi Police and the Iraqi Judges working together and we hope for more events like this one in Mahmudiyah in the future," said Brig. Gen. Abed, the Mahmudiyah District Commander.
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