TRANSFER OF POLICE TRAINING CONTRACT TO CSTC-A

UNCLAS STATE 090467 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AF MARR PGOV PINS PREL SOCI SUBJECT: TRANSFER OF POLICE TRAINING CONTRACT TO CSTC-A REF: KABUL 2327 ¶1. ACTION REQUESTED: PARA 6. ¶2. IN RESPONSE TO REFTEL, AN INTERAGENCY MEETING ON AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN WAS HELD ON AUGUST 10 TO DISCUSS THE TRANSFER OF MOST POLICE TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE DOD COMBINED SECURITY TRANSITION COMMAND-AFGHANISTAN (CSTC-A). THIS TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 31, 2010 WHEN THE CURRENT INL CONTRACT PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE ENDS, AND DOD/CSTC-A HAS A REPLACEMENT CONTRACT IN PLACE. DEPARTMENT REQUESTS THAT POST WORK WITH CSTC-A TO PREPARE FOR A SEAMLESS TRANSITION IN JANUARY. UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT,THE CHIEF OF MISSION (COM) WOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE POLICE PROGRAM POLICY, OVERSIGHT AND BROAD DIRECTION, WHILE CSTC-A WOULD HAVE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTING THE POLICY, INCLUDING CONTRACTING AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT. ¶3. RECOGNIZING THAT HIGH ATTRITION RATES, HIGH DRUG ABUSE RATES, AND LOW LITERACY RATES ARE SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS THAT IMPEDE THE LONG-TERM PROSPECTS FOR STANDING UP AN AFGHAN-SUSTAINED NATIONAL POLICE FORCE, INL WILL USE ITS CIVILIAN POLICING EXPERTISE TO INITIATE ADVANCED TRAINING COURSES AND PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON RETENTION AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THE ANP TO COMPLEMENT THE OVERALL TRAINING AND SECURITY FOCUS OF DOD/CSTC-A. ¶4. THE ADVANCED PROGRAM WOULD HAVE THREE COMPONENTS: (1) TRAINING, WITH ADVANCED COURSES IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT, WOMEN,S POLICING, AND RULE OF LAW; (2) ADVISING IN THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR FOCUSED ON TRAINING AND RECRUITING/RETENTION (TO COMPLEMENT EXISTING CSTC-A ADVISING); AND (3) FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMS TO TEACH LITERACY AND COMBAT DRUG ABUSE. ¶5. TO START UP THIS PROGRAM UNTIL INL OUTYEAR FUNDING CAN BE REQUESTED, INL WILL SEEK $40 MILLION FROM DOD AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES FUND (ASFF). IN ADDITION, INL WILL NEED TO RETAIN SPACE AT THE POLICE REGIONAL TRAINING CENTERS (RTCS) FOR ITS JUSTICE SECTOR SUPPORT PROGRAM (JSSP) AND CORRECTIONS SYSTEM SUPPORT PROGRAM (CSSP). BEFORE CONTROL OF THE RTCS IS TRANSFERRED TO CSTC-A, IT WILL BE VITAL TO GUARANTEE CONTINUED RTC SUPPORT FOR THESE PROGRAMS IN THE PROVINCES WITH ADVISOR LIVING SPACE, OFFICE SPACE, CLASSROOM SPACE, AND BARRACKS SPACE. INL WILL ALSO REQUIRE LIMITED SPACE IN CURRENT TRAINING CENTERS TO CARRY ON ADVANCED POLICE TRAINING AND FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMS. ¶6. ACTION REQUESTED: POST IS REQUESTED TO SEEK CSTC-A AGREEMENT TO RETAIN SPACE AT RTCS FOR THE JSSP AND CSSP PROGRAMS, AND NEGOTIATE ADDITIONAL SPACE FOR A SMALL-SCALE ADVANCED POLICE TRAINING PROGRAM. INL WILL DISCUSS POSSIBILITY OF SECURING $40 MILLION IN ASFF AS AN INTERIM FUNDING MEASURE WITH DOD. CLINTON