Iraqi Police

Iraqi Police
Name	Iraqi Police
Formed	1920s; reconstituted 2003
Country	Iraq
Jurisdiction	National
Governing body	Ministry of Interior (Iraq)
Headquarters	Baghdad

Iraqi Police is the primary law enforcement body responsible for policing and internal security in Iraq. Originating in the early 20th century and substantially rebuilt after the 2003 Iraq War, the force interacts with provincial, municipal, and international institutions to carry out public safety, criminal investigation, and order maintenance across urban and rural areas. The service has evolved through periods involving the British Mandate of Mesopotamia, the Ba'ath Party (Iraq), the Gulf War (1990–1991), the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the subsequent insurgency and counterinsurgency phases involving Al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

History

The origins trace to policing structures established under the Ottoman Empire and reorganized during the British Mandate of Mesopotamia following World War I, with early influence from Iraqi Levies and colonial administrative models. During the monarchy and the Republic of Iraq (1958–1968), forces adapted to changing regimes including officers associated with the Iraqi Army and ministries rooted in the Hashemite monarchy. Under the Ba'ath Party (Iraq) and the rule of Saddam Hussein, security institutions such as the Public Order Directorate and intelligence bodies like the Mukhabarat centralized policing functions and engaged in political repression, alongside interactions with the Iraqi Intelligence Service. After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Coalition Provisional Authority policies and programs led to a comprehensive reconstitution involving collaboration with United States Department of Defense, United States Department of State, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, and nongovernmental partners including United States Agency for International Development training initiatives. The post-2003 era saw the force expand amid insurgent campaigns by Al-Qaeda in Iraq, sectarian conflict tied to events like the 2006–2008 Iraqi civil war, and the rise of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, precipitating large-scale international assistance programs such as those run by Multinational Force in Iraq and advisory roles by the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps transition.

Organization and Structure

The police operate under the Ministry of Interior (Iraq) with provincial coordination through Iraqi governorates and municipal commands in cities such as Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, and Erbil. Key directorates include criminal investigation units interacting with institutions like the Iraqi Judicial System and specialized branches aligned with units such as the Federal Police (Iraq), National Police (Iraq), and provincial forces modeled after international examples like the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Metropolitan Police Service. Command structures incorporate rank systems reflecting historical ties to the Iraqi Army and police academies linked to ministries comparable to the Ministry of Interior (Jordan) training frameworks. Liaison relationships exist with United States Central Command, NATO Training Mission-Iraq, regional security entities including the Kurdistan Regional Government's security apparatus and provincial security committees formed after 2003.

Recruitment, Training, and Equipment

Recruitment drives have been influenced by post-conflict demobilization programs and reconciliation initiatives involving actors such as the Coalition Provisional Authority and United Nations Development Programme. Training curricula were developed with assistance from the United States Department of Justice, British Army, Australian Federal Police, and police advisers from Italy and Poland. Institutions like the Iraqi Police College and provincial academies provide instruction in criminal procedure, forensics, and community policing methods drawing on models from the FBI, Interpol, and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Equipment provisioning has involved procurement from suppliers in United States, Italy, France, and regional manufacturers, yielding patrol vehicles, light armored vehicles such as variants used by the Federal Police (Iraq), small arms patterned on Colt M4 and AK-series rifles, communications systems interoperable with Multinational Force in Iraq networks, and forensic kits modeled after Europol standards.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary duties encompass patrol operations, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, public order management, protection of critical infrastructure including ports like Port of Basra and airports such as Baghdad International Airport, counterterrorism support alongside forces like the Counter Terrorism Service (Iraq), detainee processing coordinating with the Iraqi Correctional Service, and witness protection aligned with prosecutorial institutions such as the High Judicial Council (Iraq). Units undertake crowd control during events involving figures like political parties such as Dawa Party (Iraq), elections overseen by the Independent High Electoral Commission (Iraq), and sectarian tensions tied to communities represented by entities like the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council and the Sadr Movement. Cooperation with international organizations includes engagement with United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq programs and bilateral security agreements with states such as United States and neighboring Turkey.

Performance, Challenges, and Reforms

Performance has varied across periods and provinces, affected by corruption allegations investigated by bodies such as the Board of Supreme Audit (Iraq), sectarian infiltration linked to militia networks including the Popular Mobilization Forces and former Sons of Iraq auxiliaries, and human rights concerns documented by organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Reform efforts have included vetting programs inspired by models such as the De-Ba'athification Commission rollback attempts, professionalization initiatives supported by NATO Training Mission-Iraq, anticorruption measures coordinated with the Independent High Electoral Commission (Iraq) and legal reforms enacted by the Council of Representatives of Iraq. Challenges include logistics and sustainment in areas contested by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, workforce retention amid competition from security contractors like Blackwater (company), and rebuilding public trust after high-profile incidents examined in commissions like the Iraq Inquiry-style reviews. Recent reforms emphasize community policing, oversight through the Ministry of Interior (Iraq) inspectorates, internal affairs units, and cooperation with civil society groups such as Iraqi Red Crescent Society.

Notable Operations and Incidents

Operations include urban security campaigns in Fallujah coordinated with Multinational Force in Iraq operations, counterinsurgency sweeps during the Iraq insurgency (2003–2011), and joint offensives against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Mosul supported by the Popular Mobilization Forces and Iraqi Army. Incidents of international attention include the post-2003 rebuilding period involving contractors like Halliburton and controversies reminiscent of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal affecting perceptions of detention operations. High-profile policing actions involved responses to protests such as those in 2019 targeting ministries in Baghdad and Basra, and security arrangements for visits by foreign dignitaries from United States and United Kingdom. Investigations and inquiries have examined episodes linked to militia infiltration, sectarian violence in provinces like Anbar Governorate and Nineveh Governorate, and efforts to secure oil infrastructure in regions such as Kirkuk.

Category:Law enforcement in Iraq Category:Organizations based in Baghdad