Senior RCN officer joins effort to develop the Afghan National Police

By Lieutenant (Navy) Len Hickey

KABUL, Afghanistan – Captain (Navy) Haydn Edmundson arrived here on 18 July 2011 as part of the initial rotation of the Canadian Contribution Training Mission–Afghanistan (CCTM-A), the task force deployed on Operation ATTENTION to serve with the NATO Training Mission–Afghanistan (NTM-A).

As Chief of Staff to the Deputy Commanding General–Police (DCOM-Police) at NTMA Headquarters, Capt(N) Edmundson has a prominent role in the training and development of the Afghan National Police (ANP).

The ANP is a national police force made up of four components — the Afghan Uniformed Police, the Afghan Border Police, the Afghan National Civil Order Police and the Afghan Anti-Crime Police — and two sub-components responsible for specialized policing and close protection. In close co-operation with the department of the Afghan government responsible for policing, the Ministry of Interior, DCOM-Police has a mandate to help develop the components of the ANP into self-sustaining public safety organizations.

With a current strength of more than 135,000 men and women, with almost 8,500 in training at any given time, the ANP is responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining civil order throughout Afghanistan. DCOM-Police under NTM-A is responsible for developing the training curriculum needed to sustain the ANP well into the future.

The Ministry of Interior recently approved two key strategic documents, the National Police Strategy and National Police Plan, that identify development of a balanced, professional and sustainable police force as a clear priority. The government of Afghanistan has embarked on an impressive campaign to build the ANP into a force large and capable enough to provide its people with peace and security. This strategy depends on effective and recruiting and training programs.

“The police force is the critical component identified in the plan that will enable the country to achieve the level of security they desire,” said Capt(N) Edmundson. “The police force is essential to an enduring public confidence in the government and key institutions responsible for security. We are proud to be a part of this mission that will see the ANP transition into a professional and capable police force ready to serve Afghan citizens in the decades ahead.”

Operation ATTENTION is deploying up to 950 Canadian Forces trainers and advisors into the NTM-A, where they will make a direct contribution to security development in Afghanistan. Most CCTM-A personnel are engaged in programs supporting development of the Afghan National Army. The current ANP development team, working in the Kabul area, consists of about 50 CF personnel and 30 civilian police officers from across Canada.

Following the NTM-A credo “Shohna ba shohna” (shoulder to shoulder), the entire team — civilian and military, Canadian, allied and Afghan — focuses on training, advising, mentoring and supporting the growth and development of the ANP.

“We are connected to key decision makers in the Afghan Ministry of Interior and various police organizations,” explained Capt(N) Edmundson. “We have a common goal of making the Afghan institutions more capable and prepared to assume self-sustained policing and security throughout Afghanistan.”

Like his colleagues in police development at NTM-A, Capt(N) Edmundson is fully committed to the vision of the ANP as a self-sustained police service by 2014. It will be a challenging journey, but a rewarding one for the entire Canadian team.