FIRST CLASS OF POLICE OFFICERS TRAINED BY U.S. INSTRUCTORS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIRUT 000528 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL/AAE, NEA/ELA, NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/HARDING E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL NAS PGOV IS SY LE SUBJECT: FIRST CLASS OF POLICE OFFICERS TRAINED BY U.S. INSTRUCTORS GRADUATE FROM USG FUNDED LEBANON POLICE PROGRAM ¶1. (U) Summary. The first class of 166 Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) police cadets trained under the USG sponsored Lebanon Police Program graduated on April 15, 2008. The graduation ceremony took place at the ISF Academy located in Warwar, a suburb of Beirut, and featured a sixty piece marching band and precision marches by the graduating police recruits. Flanking the graduates and band were an impressive array of police vehicles, SUVs and refurbished Armored Personnel Vehicles, all donated by the USG to the ISF and funded through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). ¶2. (U) The graduation was attended by the Director General of the ISF, Achraf Rifi, his entire Command Staff and 32 of the ISF's highest ranking officers, as well as by U.S. Charg d'Affaires CDA) Michele J. Sison, Embassy INL Office Director and the U.S. and Lebanese Police Program Training staff. ¶3. (U) Charge Sison congratulated the first class of 166 graduates trained under the INL Lebanon Police Program. The ten week training program in modern policing and law enforcement skills is taught by U.S. instructors and curriculum developers with the assistance of Lebanese police and legal advisors as well as translators and language assistants. End Summary. U.S. Announces Police Visitor Program -------------- ¶4. (U) Charge Sison announced to the graduating class the inauguration of a new Police Visitor Program, funded by INL Lebanon, to honor the top students and instructors, and those officers who have played a significant role in police training. These high-achieving police and leading officers will spend 10 days visiting police departments, academies, and criminal investigations units in the U.S. to observe their operations and to exchange best practices with their police counterparts. Serving as a motivational incentive for future classes, the Visitor's Program will also increase the professionalism of the ISF by forging international relationships and strengthening operational knowledge. Impassioned Speech by ISF Commander -------------- ¶5. (U) As part of his impassioned review of the challenges facing the ISF, General Rifi stated the following in his prepared remarks: "Criminal actors continue to attempt to kill the best men of our country, who are targets for the sole reason that they believed in the independence of this country and its right to full sovereignty over all its territories. Terrorist crimes were perpetrated against our forces and those of the Lebanese Army. Hence, the blood of all these martyrs became the first cornerstone upon which we built the trust between our forces and the Lebanese citizens. The battles we fought were patriotic battles above all else, and the missions we accomplished were national missions of excellence.... Because of the lack of financial resources, it was not possible to obtain all that we needed, all at the same time.... The support of the Lebanese government and the Minister of the Interior and Municipalities was essential to develop the ISF organization. In addition, the Lebanese Army command thankfully agreed to assist us. I can assure you that the cooperation between these two institutions is continuing and at its best.... We know that our units have the right to ask for more officers, training and equipment and we will meet their needs. The Lebanese citizen too has the right to claim security and protection, while preserving his human dignity. I appreciate the unit commanders' patience with the lack of resources but it is now time to accelerate the pace, and I promise to provide their units with what they need. Our fetus has ended its creation phase and has now entered the development phase. Soon the Lebanese citizen shall see the results of our efforts. [The United States'] aid amounting to 60 million dollars was allotted to equipment, training and rehabilitation.... This assistance and the assistance provided by other friendly countries have played an important role in improving our capability to confront terrorism in Lebanon. BEIRUT 00000528 002 OF 002 This assistance enabled us to uncover the terrorist and criminal role of the group named "Fatah Al Islam". Through concrete proof and scientific evidence, we were able to prove the involvement of Fatah al Islam in the terrorist attacks of Ain Aalak, and succeeded, subsequently, in crushing this group in Tripoli and Naher El Bared Camp. During these fierce fights, our forces worked hand in hand with the Lebanese Army, who paid a high price and bore heavy casualties in the battlefield in order to protect our territories.... I avail myself of this great occasion to show the whole world that we are following a clear and pragmatic plan whose success depends on our mission and capabilities. Allow me, in this occasion, to congratulate everyone of you on the efforts that you put forth to make this session a success; we are very proud of your commitment, discipline, devotion and skill." ¶6. (U) Press coverage of the graduation was extensive. The main broadcast news stations covered the speeches the marching pageantry with great interest, and zoomed in on the new U.S. police cars, topped with their lights and sirens, and festooned with the ISF logo and new 999 emergency call number. Although Al MANAR was not at the ceremony, the Hizbollah backed TV station gained access to the footage and devoted more airtime to the graduation than did the other more moderate stations. Continuing Basic Police and Instructor Training -------------- --- ¶7. (U) The next Basic Police training class for police recruits begins April 21, 2008. Over the next four years the INL program aims to train 8,000 police recruits and 1,200 instructors. Two Instructor training courses have been completed, and those graduates are now assisting in the basic training program. SISON