GRADUATING COUNTERNARCOTICS CADETS INCREASE PNP

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LIMA 002254 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR INL/LP, WHA/AND, DS/IP/WHA, DS/DSS/ITA; DEPT FOR ONDCP FOR D GETTINGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC SNAR EAID PGOV PE SUBJECT: GRADUATING COUNTERNARCOTICS CADETS INCREASE PNP CAPABILITIES IN DRUG ZONES REF: A) LIMA 2158 B) LIMA 2055 C) LIMA 2111 D) 04 LIMA 5822 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On May 12, almost 200 new Peruvian National Police (PNP) cadets graduated from two police academies in the heart of the coca source zones. These academies were conceived, constructed and fully equipped by Embassy NAS. The 200 graduates are the first batch of a planned 2000 more counternarcotics police recruited from the Peruvian rain forest, with training support and equipment from NAS. Their purpose is to consolidate state presence, combat narcotrafficking, and support law-abiding communities in the coca-growing regions of Peru. The Ambassador and top PNP brass attended the ceremonies along with impressive support from hundreds of local spectators. The well-choreographed demonstrations of police counternarcotics skills and the obvious high level of morale and motivation of the graduates are positive signs for future PNP CN operations in coca growing areas. Press coverage was prominent and favorable. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Ambassador Curt Struble and Peruvian National Police (PNP) Chief Marco Miyashiro, along with top PNP generals, attended 2 graduation ceremonies of new police academy cadets on 5/12. The graduations are the culmination of 4 years of planning and execution by NAS police advisors. Ninety-seven graduates were from the Academy at Santa Lucia Base, San Martin, where eradication and cocaine-base lab interdiction operations have been conducted over the past months (Ref B and previous). The additional 98 graduates were from the Academy in Mazamari, Junin, in the hard-core Monzon area. All the graduates had received intense training for 18 months, specializing in all aspects of counternarcotics operations. They will be dedicated to CN activities in the region for 3 years. Virtually all of the new graduates, after a day off to be with family, will begin work in the CN directorate DIRANDRO's eradication security, road interdiction or special operations units in the hostile Upper Huallaga area. ¶3. (U) The mayors of both communities, as well as the provincial Sub-Prefects (National government representatives responsible for the security of their provinces) attended the ceremonies. All four recounted the same basic story: in addition to the positive effect of locally recruited police on community attitudes towards the rule of law, the local police academies brought economic benefits to the communities - a local survey conducted by the PNP showed a 40 percent increase in economic growth for the Santa Lucia area, for example, as the providers of secondary services were able to make a better living. ¶4. (U) Both ceremonies were similar in their scope and indication of potential for the future. Several hundred friends and family of the graduates, as well as interested community members, attended the ceremonies at each location with evident pride. At each ceremony precise and well- orchestrated military-style ceremonies, speeches, award presentations and parades involving the cadets were followed by operational demonstrations by cadets from the upcoming class, due to graduate in 6 months. NAS anticipates that over the next 5 years 2000 CN police will graduate from these academies; the graduates will dedicate at least 3 years to service in the drug zones. ¶5. (U) The level of motivation and esprit de corps evident in both classes was remarkable, similar to the exuberance and dedication evident in U.S. military basic training graduations. There was great attention to detail in the uniforms, marching and ceremonial displays. The classes had their particular chants and unit cheers, and awards were given to the honor graduates. The motivational speeches by the Ambassador, General Miyashiro, the chaplains and others were well received by the audience. ¶6. (U) At Santa Lucia, the upcoming graduating class (possibly in December 2005) put on an impressive display of a mock interdiction operation, with a coordinated helicopter and riverine pincer movements surrounding a notional cocaine lab, followed by a pyrotechnic destruction of the lab that was featured on the front page of leading daily "El Comercio." The Mazamari interdiction demonstration emphasized a close-up of an interdiction operation, with a prominent depiction of the role played by the GOP legal representative (Fiscal) in ensuring that the legal rights of suspects were respected. General Nunez explained that in addition to the intense CN training, these students received training in human rights observance as well as non-lethal riot control techniques - essential in the current climate featuring cocaleros armed with rock slings who menace eradicators and their heliborne transport. (Note: For the vast majority of the community audience, this was their first dramatization of what a Fiscal does, in contrast to cocalero rumor mills that tout PNP disregard of human rights. End Note.) ¶7. (U) A sizeable press contingent accompanied the USG and PNP delegations on the trip to both graduations. Press coverage was favorable, with front page photographic and print coverage of the ceremonies and the operational demonstrations. ¶8. (SBU) General Daniel Nunez Accame, Director of Training and Doctrine for the PNP, explained how these ceremonies fit into extensive plans for professionalizing the service and increasing effectiveness of counter-narcotics operations. The 2 NAS-developed satellite police academies for "suboficiales" (the equivalent of enlisted troops in a military organization or entry-level police officers in the U.S. system, represent a well-defined strategy to attract and train vetted recruits from the coca source zones. The 5/12 graduates were drawn from all over the Departments in which the academies are located. ¶9. (U) General Nunez also detailed plans to start preparatory schools for each of the academies. The schools, supported with USG funds, would accomplish several objectives. Potentially successful PNP cadets would be identified and provided with academic preparation, to allow the academies to devote less time for basic subjects. But even the students who either realized they did not want to pursue a career in law enforcement, or could not make the grade for acceptance into the Academy, would have had a solid grounding in the principles of rule of law, the dangers of illicit coca cultivation and narcotrafficking, and the importance of working with the police force that would benefit them and the community whatever trade they chose. The Santa Lucia preparatory school is planned to open in August. ¶10. (SBU) Regarding the issue of whether recruiting police from the coca regions would be an invitation to corruption, General Nunez allowed that there was this potential, in that policemen would already know some narcotraffickers in the area. But the countervailing criteria were more important: locally recruited police would have greater access to the informants who would also come from the area. More important, the community members would respect the policemen and have a stake in preventing harm to them during the course of operations. NAS police advisor has ensured that extensive vetting of all students and polygraph tests for some lessen the chances of future corruption. ¶11. (SBU) Comment: This first surge of police graduates bodes well for upcoming eradication and interdiction plans, in an increasingly difficult operating environment. They will be key in boosting police presence and backbone when faced with violent cocalero and narcoterrorist reactions. The professionalism of the Santa Lucia and Mazamari operational demonstrations showed what competent, motivated PNP troops can do with the proper training, equipment and resources. Taking the press along proved to be a public relations success for the PNP and USG, with reporters seeing first hand what a professional police force can accomplish. The high level of attendance by local communities is an indication of support that should pay dividends for licit economic activities and stability in these areas. In August, NAS will support the start of a new police academy in Ayacucho - a town through which 70 percent of cocaine passes en route to foreign destinations. STRUBLE