Photo By Sgt. Daniel Blottenberger | Staff Sergeant Phillip McGrew, a Police Transition Team squad leader with the 65th...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Daniel Blottenberger
18th Mililtary Police Brigade
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Coalition forces once named the predominantly Sunni area in central Iraq, consisting of the cities of Yusuifiyah, Mahmudiyah, Iskandariyah and Latifiyah, the "Triangle of Death."
The troop surge initiated in 2007 neutralized much of the area enabling Iraqi security forces to take a leading role in the securing the region. An uprising there in March raised concerns and directed attention to the Iraqi security forces operating in that area; coalition forces feared the ISF would struggle to maintain rule of law in the communities.
"We got word that special group members were going to be coming down from Baghdad into Mahmudiyah, and planning on resupplying criminal groups in our area," said Staff Sgt. Phillip McGrew, a Police Transition Team squad leader with the 65th Military Police Company, who conducts PTT operations with Iraqi police in the Mahmudiyah District.
McGrew, a native of Baton Rouge, La., conducts daily PTT operations at the Rasheed local police station, the northern-most IP station in the Mahmudiyah District.
During the uprising, the IP and MP platoon held their station and did not allow it to fall into enemy hands.
Meanwhile, Iraqi army forces and Soldiers of the 320th Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division hunted down special groups in the area and eliminated the threat on the stations.
"The most important part of this is that the IP knew their success," said McGrew. "On the surface, the outside looking in, really not much happened, but the leadership at the station knew it was something they took great pride in."
Now that the citizens of Mahmudiyah have seen the success of the IPs, they are focusing on not letting further criminal activities take place in their district.
"We are at a very critical time in Mahmudiyah, IP are starting to catch on to things and they are continuing down the right path," said said Capt. Jessica Donckers, commander, 65th MP Co., and native of Marquette, Mich. Donckers, who oversees PTT operations in the entire Mahmudiyah District, added, "The Iraqi people are now taking ownership in the communities, and not allowing criminals to come back in."
McGrew says IP leadership is the key to future success in the once volatile area.
"At my station, I see a lot of positive things," said McGrew. "The interaction that I have with the officers is important."
"When the IP come in and put on that uniform, they see the leadership is not biased toward any tribe when the case work comes in," said McGrew, who has been working with the Rasheed IP for eight months.
"When we conduct route patrolling with the IP, we meet and greet everyone that we pass. It does not matter what tribe they are from," he said.
During the uprising in March, the IP at the Rasheed station let CF know what was going on in the community.
"All we had to do was increase security at the station," McGrew said. "We just let the IP know that we were side by side with them. We let them know nothing bad was going to happen to the station," he said.
Throughout the uprising, sources on the ground reported that criminals were scouting out the station and possibly planning an attack.
"Special group members scouted out the station and saw what was going on and realized it wasn't worth it," McGrew said. "They realized they stood no chance against the forces providing security at the station."
The PTT conducts community policing efforts with the IP and daily checks on the different areas of the IP station.
"Each member of my squad works with a different section at the IP station," McGrew said. "This gives the members of my squad a sense of purpose and something to take pride in. It also shows the IP that we are not just there for show; we are there to help them out."
"Each member of the squad has their own relationship with their IP counterpart at the station, and that system has been working out well for us both," said McGrew.
Since arriving from Fort Bragg eight months ago, McGrew feels his squad has had a huge impact on the Mahmudiyah police force especially in Rasheed.
McGrew and his squad of military police Soldiers mentored and trained the officers at the station on how to be successful leaders.
"It took a lot of sit down one-on-one time, starting with the station commander," said McGrew.
After the station in Rasheed was seen as a growing success, McGrew and his squad were tasked with further adding to the already growing IP force in Mahmudiyah, by helping set up another station in the district.
"The Mustafa local police station just got off the ground three weeks ago," said McGrew.
"One thing that is really working well in Mustafa, is that the whole Mahmudiyah community is coming together," said McGrew. "IP, IA, different tribes and the Sons of Iraq are meeting on a regular basis to discuss issues in the area."
The council meetings bring added cohesion to the Mustafa community.
"Now the IP are involved in the community," said McGrew. "It's awesome because if there are any issues out in the community the entire town brings it out in the open at the meetings. It makes it so that everyone in the community is on the same page and makes it so that everyone in the community is involved for the better good."
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 08.01.2008 10:48 |
| Story ID: | 22035 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 432 |
| Downloads: | 323 |
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