GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - Members of the 615th Military Police Company recently underwent a three-week training program to familiarize newly arrived Soldiers with local Grafenwoehr policies and procedures.
The program, the Bloodhound Law Enforcement Academy, included topics ranging from legal responsibilities and limitations and performing routine traffic stops to proper use of military working dogs.
The 22 participants took part in the course to familiarize themselves with local policies related to the German Status of Forces Agreement and other subjects that might be handled differently in Grafenwoehr and throughout Bavaria than at other posts.
"The purpose of this course is to bring them up to speed on the garrison-specific differences," said Capt. James Vaughn of the Department of the Army Civilian Police.
In addition to benefitting the Soldiers, BLEA also served to familiarize the new DACP Watch Commanders.
"The new Watch Commanders that are being fielded by IMCOM-E are attending the BLEA training so that they can better understand, when they're working with the Soldiers out on the street, what level they're trained to and they're better able to help the Soldier complete the law enforcement mission," said Vaughn.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Mitchell coordinated the BLEA training events. "We know the Soldier goes to basic training, and Advanced Individual Training to learn how to be a military policeman or woman, but we also take what they learn there and emphasize it, maybe go into a little bit more depth. It's our own little internal academy," explained Mitchell.
One of the most entertaining training activities was designed to familiarize the new military police with the capabilities of military working dogs.
In this portion of the course, Sgt. Marvelt Adamson, military working dog handler, showed the Soldiers what his 3-year-old German Shepherd, Jackie, could do.
Pfc. Ralph Williams volunteered to flee from the MPs and allow Jackie to take him down. For safety reasons, Williams wore a protective sleeve that covered his entire left arm, allowing Jackie to bite him without injury.
Adamson explained the importance of teaching all MPs to interact comfortably with military working dogs.
"Using a military working dog is a great asset for commanders both for utilization of health and welfare and cache and weapons searches when downrange. You want to utilize them as much as possible because they really do find things that normal people wouldn't find," said Adamson.
The 615th MP Company will conclude BLEA training with a graduation ceremony July 10.
Social Sharing