Photo By Spc. Ry Norris | The Baqubah Iraqi Police Quick Reaction Force marched to a building during a mock riot...... read more read more
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DIYALA, Iraq – The crowd was out of control. What should have been a peaceful protest turned violent within minutes. News of the riot reached the Baqubah Iraqi police. They sent in the Baqubah IP Quick Reaction Force, which is trained to handle such incidents. The QRF, fully equipped with face visors and body armor, arrived to a chaotic scene.
They formed a line formation and marched toward the protestors, beating their Plexiglas riot shields, in unison, with their batons. The protestors formed a human chain, undaunted by the show of force.
Two massive riot control vehicles with mounted loud speakers pulled up.
From the loud speakers, "Go home!" a QRF IP directed from inside the vehicle. The protestors retaliated by throwing various objects at the force. The riot was short lived as the QRF engaged the water turbo jets atop the "water buses," shooting water at 20 pounds per square-inch at the crowd. This ended the mock riot training exercise.
Soldiers with 3rd Platoon, 66th Military Police Company trained the Baqubah IP QRF in crowd control and riot dispersal at Forward Operating Base Warhorse, April 18 -19.
"The purpose of this training is to train the trainer," said Staff Sgt. Thomas Garrard, the lead instructor for the training with 66th MP attached to 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. "We train them on certain techniques that they need to be aware of so that they can go back and train their counterparts."
The 66th MPs put together a course that covered safety precautions, each member's roles in different formations, escalation of force and practical applications.
The Baqubah QRF's job is to effectively de-escalate the situation while minimizing casualties. They must be mindful of not only the crowd, but also their own welfare. Full riot protective gear and situational awareness will assist the QRF in safety measures. Safety is always of the utmost importance. The training included the fatal areas on the body that should be avoided if at all possible.
Different formations are used to control crowds. A line formation is used to drive a crowd back or to prevent further access. A wedge formation is used to penetrate and divide a large group into segments. A left or right echelon is used to move the crowd to one side or the other.
Each member's role will differ depending on which formation the QRF wants to use. For example, the baseman's role in a wedge is to breach the enemy's line. Those behind him continue to widen that breach while protecting the previous flank from being surrounded.
"It's important for them to identify each individual's responsibility; they should know the purpose of their position and the person's next to them," said Staff Sgt. Garrard. "They can train the others and identify any weaknesses so that they can improve."
The QRF employs an escalation of force at the lowest level possible to disperse the crowd. When one level does not work, they proceed to the next. The QRF vehicle is included in the escalation. It is equipped with cameras all the way around, allowing the two-man team to operate the vehicle without having to leave it. The "water bus" can be equipped with a variety of non-lethal projectile weapons like bean-bags, rubber bullets and high pressure water dispersal.
"We were able to see what we learned during the practical application," said Maj. Ibrahim Abd-Allah Asskv Al-Saady with the Baqubah QRF. "Now that my men are trained, we can begin training the others in the company."
Ibrahim has 40 policemen in his company. He plans to begin training the others as soon as possible.
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.10.2010 12:20 |
| Story ID: | 49418 |
| Location: | DIYALA PROVINCE, IQ |
| Web Views: | 277 |
| Downloads: | 158 |
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