KAZAKHSTAN: SAVING THE LIVES OF POLICE OFFICERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001324

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR INL/AAE (ALTON),SCA/CEN (OMARA),DEPT OF JUSTICE (DUCOT),
DUSHANBE FOR DEA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: SAVING THE LIVES OF POLICE OFFICERS


1. Summary: INL conducted a Police Officer Survival Techniques
Course on April 16-27 at the Ministry of Internal Affairs Academy in
Almaty. Ten operations officers of the criminal police and 13
officers from regional anti-narcotics units participated in the
course taught by personnel from the Department of Justice
International Criminal Investigative Training and Assistance Program
(DOJ/ICITAP.) The Academy Director and INL plan to create a cadre
of Kazakhstani officers to teach the course. End summary.

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BACKGROUND
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2. The MVD Training Center was established in 1999 and is a
constituent part of the Institute for Training of Law Enforcement
Management of the MVD Academy. Zholdybai Uspanov, Head of the
Training Center, and other Academy experts train 20 mid-to- senior
level officers from throughout Kazakhstan in the Center each month.
Officers of the Border Guard Service, Committee for National
Security, Customs Control Committee, and the Financial Police
receive training in this Center as well.


3. INL Officer arranged the course on police officer defensive
tactics at the Training Center of the Police Academy of the Ministry
of Internal Affairs using instructors from the Department of
Justice's International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance
Program (ICITAP) Office.


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U.S. SWAT TEAM IN KAZAKHSTAN, TEACHING...
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4. From April 16 to 27, U.S. experts taught a two-week course on
Police Officer Defensive Tactics to 23 officers at the Ministry of
Internal Affairs Almaty Training Academy. The purpose of the
training was to instruct law enforcement officers in specialized
self-defense tactics while detaining and arresting criminal
suspects. At the same time instructors ensured the arresting
officers learned to use only the force appropriate to detain or
arrest, thereby respecting the rights of the detained.


5. From the first day, the U.S. trainers' experience in SWAT teams
and police operations won the recognition of the Kazakhstani
officers and experts of the Training Center. The U.S. experts
quickly recognized the differences between Kazakhstani and American
law enforcement systems. For example, the participants shared with
the American trainers that unlike in the U.S., before the arrest of
a suspected drug dealer in Kazakhstan the arresting officer is
required to find witnesses to monitor the arrest. (Note: To ensure
the police do not simply pay lip service to this requirement the
Kazakhstani Government made the arrest witness requirement very
strict. The police cannot use a serial witness just to meet the
letter of the law but must find different witnesses for each arrest.
End note.)


6. The U.S. trainers presented a variety of topics including Mental
Strategies for Officer Survival, the principles of conducting Field
Interviews, the use of the Force Continuum Model of using only the
appropriate and necessary level force for the corresponding threat.
Following the presentation of material in the classroom, the
officers conducted practical exercises on low, medium and high risk
traffic stops and building searches.


7. The trainers of MVD Academy volunteered to co-teach during the
Defensive Tactics Training and delivered lectures on ensuring the
security of officers in the criminal detention process, detention of
armed criminals in a vehicle, detention of criminals in a building,
tactics of personal search, and tactics for conducting a crime
investigation in a confrontational environment.


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...OFFICER SAFETY - A NEW, WELCOME CONCEPT
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8. The idea that a police force could be taught how to preserve the
lives of officers who are risking their all in the line of duty
struck a chord with the Kazakhstani participants. Current
Kazakhstani police officer and senior law enforcement management
training does not stress that police officers are valuable and
should not be needlessly put at risk.


9. Intrigued as they were by the idea that the force or its senior
management had a responsibility to protect them, in the beginning of
the course the officers were reluctant to admit that they might be
injured or killed while performing their everyday duty. Once the
initial bravado was past, they actively interacted with the

ASTANA 00001324 002 OF 002


instructors and were eager to learn the elements of self-protection
such as developing the proper mental attitude, physical
preparedness, proper equipment, and legal aspects. The eagerness to
learn protective techniques was even more evident when participants
began to recall cases when colleagues became victims of criminals.



10. The officers concluded that carelessness is one of the main
reasons officers are wounded or killed. The participants' lack of
knowledge about self-protection while conducting operations was
obvious in the practical exercises on the proper methods to search
individuals, vehicles, and buildings. U.S. instructors also quickly
noted that some of the young officers did not practice proper
firearm safety procedures and put themselves in the line of fire
because of dangerous, hasty actions in risky situations.


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THIS WAS GREAT! SHOW US MORE!
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11. Colonel Uspanov admitted to EmbOff that most of young officers
were not well prepared for their work. The officers are too young,
ambitious, and inexperienced. Uspanov requested additional sessions
of the same course as well as training of trainers on the methods
and tactics of combating drug trafficking, and international
cooperation in the fight against drugs. (Note: Under current and
future Letters of Agreement, INL Kazakhstan has several
counter-narcotics officer training sessions planned for the coming
months and creating a cadre of trainers to carry on the program is
integral to the program. Kazakhstani co-teachers were incorporated
into this training as well. The Regional DEA Agent from Dushanbe is
scheduled to visit Kazakhstan in early June. End note.)


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COMMENT
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12. Thanks to ICITAP/DOJ's excellent selection of trainers the
Kazakhstani operations officers received top-notch instruction from
seasoned U.S. professionals. From the feedback and engagement of
the participants Post assesses that the two-week training opened the
minds of the Kazakhstani officers to the idea that the life of a
police officer is important and the rights of the citizen are to be
respected. For these officers at least, before making a step during
an operation they will consider the possible consequences.

ORDWAY