Relevant extract from weekly report from Douglas Brand, 3 August 2003

3 August 2003 Relevant Extract of Report from Douglas Brand Chief Police Advisor, Ministry of Interior, Baghdad Strategic developments One of the SSR issues I noticed when I first came here was that the deployment of USMPs to the combat Brigades in Baghdad was not working. Effectively some 2000 MPs were not being used for policing but were being deployed as gate and bridge guards by the combat brigade commanders. I undertook to try and change this situation. Following a campaign of influence form a number of quarters, including General Viggars in CJTF7, I now have the following policing facilities established. The USMPs will now work as patrolling police officers under the direction of their colonel but to my operational requirement from September. A new form of emergency request can be made for military support to a 911 (999) standard effective today. The Commanding General for Baghdad has agreed a Joint Coordinating Centre with police and military sharing facilities at 1st Armoured Division HQ at Baghdad Airport (BIAP). This change will make a significant difference to the capabilities of the police, and marks the first major shift in Baghdad from the ‘battle space’ and ‘combat patrol’ mentality towards the transition to a more police patrol approach to maintaining security.