thedrifter
07-26-07, 02:53 PM
Local man reports from Iraq
Originally posted on July 26, 2007
July 26
Rich Crawford is a retired DEA station chief from Fort Myers. He’s part of a contingent of 34 retired law enforcement officers who are helping to train Iraqui police. These are his reports from Iraq. Here’s an e-mail update he sent from Camp Fallujah today:
How's this for a coincidence. I was out on an operation the other day, Operation ALLJAH. The Iraqi Police (IP) are opening new stations throughout the city of Fallujah as they regain control precinct by precinct.
The night before the operation, the marine engineers bring in cement barriers along the roads that form the perimieter of the precinct creating a "gated community" of sorts. Then the IP and Marines conduct a joint sweeping operation.
Their are pre-determined targets, who, if encountered, are detained by the I. There can also be a list of persona non grata, people the IP do not have enough evidence on. These are also rounded up and told by the IP to leave the city. Not a bad way to clean up a neighborhood.
The one I went on last week was successful in that the Ipseized a major weapons cache consisting of 5- 122mm Rockets, rocket increments(propellant), 8 blocks of TNT,several RPG launchers, 5 rpg war heads, 5-120 mm mortar rounds, a mortar tube, 4-82mm mortar rounds, several artillery rounds,a PKC machine gun, numerous rounds of ammunition, etc.
I've attached several photos of the Marines and IP engaging civilians, taking down a door, and some of myself even giving candy and toys to children. When I engaged one of the Marines assigned to the Police Transition Team in conversation, much to my surprise I found out he was from Fort Myers ( Palm Beach Blvd. area). I have included a photo of the two of us together. His name is Corporal Dionicio Francisco. I've been working out here in fallujah with the Marines of the Police Transition Team for over 6 months and I find someone from Ft. Myers, what a smal world. Cpl Francisco is from Kilo Battery, Third Battalion, 12th Marines, and was assigned to Task Force MPs and then to the Police Transition Team. This is his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Day by day and week by week I see progress being made here in the city of Fallujah and elsewhere in Anbar Province. The Marine leadership have said that "transition" is their mission and they have identified the Iraqi Police as their exit strategy. In other words build up the Iraqi police into a truly functional police organization capable of maintainingl order and stability and the coalition forces can begin to pull back and leave. We are hoping to start with Fallujah as the template for the rest of Anbar to follow. I will keep you advised of our progress
Regards
Rich Crawford
July 6
Hello all,
For my first month and a half her with the Marines at Camp Fallujah I was assigned to the Joint Prosecution Exploitation Center(JPEC) which is located at the Regional Detention Facility(RDF). The JPEC is the moving force behind the detainee process for the Marines in Anbar Province. Believe me when I say that the Marines have the detainee process right and this RDF should be the model for the entire Iraqi thrater of operations.
The Officer in Charge, Capt. Joseph Lizarraga, has set up a process where prisoners are treated firmly but fairly. Upon arriving they are screened by medical personnel and any signs of injury are documented. Every time a detainee is interrogated they are screened upon return. The detainees are processed in through the Biometric Automated Tool Set or 'BATS" system. They are fingerprinted, photographed , an iris scan is taken, and biographical data is taken. All this is uploaded into an automated data base.
The detainees receive an orange colored jump suit, a Koran and prayer rug, and a set of rules in Arabic. These rules are expained to them by an interpreter. In their cells are instructions in Arabic for the proper directions to face during prayer. Before the prisoners are received the RDF insures that the capturing unit has prepared the proper paper work, including a capture form detailing the time and location of capture, reason for detention, others cptured at the sam e location; evidence forms listing any evidence seized; a property form listing the detainee's personal property; witness statements ( at least 2).
All the evidence and reports are turned over to the JPEC for exploitation. The JPEC has an intelligence cell where analysts research the detainees name in various data bases to ascertain if there is any reporting concerning this detainees insurgent activities. There is also a document exploitation section (DOCEX) which translates all documents seized and.. exploits all media such as CDs, coputer hard drives, cameras, DVDs. Cel phones are turned over to the Radio Batallion for exploitation. All the information developed by JPEC as well as the detainee's photo are uploaded into an automated data base called the detainee tracker. At the 14 day mark an assessment is made of the case against the detainee. If there is in sufficient evidence or reporting on the detainee he is released. If there is evidence the detainee is forwarded to t he Theater Internment Facility at Camp Cropper.
Here the case takes one of two routes. If there is sufficient evidence for prosecution the case is referred to the Central Criminal Courts of Iraq (CCCI) for trial. If there is insufficient evidence for prosecution but suficient intelligence reporting indicating that the detainee poses a threat to coalition forces, the detainee is placed on a military intelligence hold. This can lead to a detention of up to 18 months with case reviews every 90 days. The Joint Prosecution Exploitation Center(JPEC) is also supported by a forensic lab. All the people I've met in my association with the JPEC do a truly outstanding and professional job, from the Marine intelligence analysts to the the NCOs and Staff NCOs of the Crminal Investigations Division assigned there( Master Gunery Sergeant John Boscia, Staff Sergeant Tim Bailey, and Sgt. Dave Nuttall). The OIC of the RDF, Capt. Lizarraga is an outstanding young officer whodoes a great job of keeping his men motivated, trained, and cared for. Most of the Marines working at the RDF are from an artillery unit and Capt. Lizarraga ensures that they spend time with the local artillery battery at Camp Fallujah training and keeping current with their MOS (military occupational specialty).
He also constructed a softball diamond from a rough field of sand, stones and dirt. It is a "Field of Dreams" Fallujah style. There are weekly softball games there followed by a steak cookouts, a great morale booster.
After a period of time at the JPEC the Marines and the LEPs ( Law Enforcement Prfessionals) determined that the JPEC was not the place where the Marines could benefit the most from the skill sets of the LEPs. Accordingly, my partner, Sam Meale and I were re assigned to the S-2 (Intelligence section) of Regimental Combat Team 6. So I was back with the "grunts" which is where I was when I was a young Marine Lt. in 1969.
Photo Gallery: Camp Fallujah - July 26
www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=A4&Date=20070726&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=726005&Ref=PH&Profile=1075
Photo Gallery: Camp Fallujah
www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=A4&Date=20070706&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=707060801&Ref=PH&Profile=1075
Ellie
Originally posted on July 26, 2007
July 26
Rich Crawford is a retired DEA station chief from Fort Myers. He’s part of a contingent of 34 retired law enforcement officers who are helping to train Iraqui police. These are his reports from Iraq. Here’s an e-mail update he sent from Camp Fallujah today:
How's this for a coincidence. I was out on an operation the other day, Operation ALLJAH. The Iraqi Police (IP) are opening new stations throughout the city of Fallujah as they regain control precinct by precinct.
The night before the operation, the marine engineers bring in cement barriers along the roads that form the perimieter of the precinct creating a "gated community" of sorts. Then the IP and Marines conduct a joint sweeping operation.
Their are pre-determined targets, who, if encountered, are detained by the I. There can also be a list of persona non grata, people the IP do not have enough evidence on. These are also rounded up and told by the IP to leave the city. Not a bad way to clean up a neighborhood.
The one I went on last week was successful in that the Ipseized a major weapons cache consisting of 5- 122mm Rockets, rocket increments(propellant), 8 blocks of TNT,several RPG launchers, 5 rpg war heads, 5-120 mm mortar rounds, a mortar tube, 4-82mm mortar rounds, several artillery rounds,a PKC machine gun, numerous rounds of ammunition, etc.
I've attached several photos of the Marines and IP engaging civilians, taking down a door, and some of myself even giving candy and toys to children. When I engaged one of the Marines assigned to the Police Transition Team in conversation, much to my surprise I found out he was from Fort Myers ( Palm Beach Blvd. area). I have included a photo of the two of us together. His name is Corporal Dionicio Francisco. I've been working out here in fallujah with the Marines of the Police Transition Team for over 6 months and I find someone from Ft. Myers, what a smal world. Cpl Francisco is from Kilo Battery, Third Battalion, 12th Marines, and was assigned to Task Force MPs and then to the Police Transition Team. This is his second tour of duty in Iraq.
Day by day and week by week I see progress being made here in the city of Fallujah and elsewhere in Anbar Province. The Marine leadership have said that "transition" is their mission and they have identified the Iraqi Police as their exit strategy. In other words build up the Iraqi police into a truly functional police organization capable of maintainingl order and stability and the coalition forces can begin to pull back and leave. We are hoping to start with Fallujah as the template for the rest of Anbar to follow. I will keep you advised of our progress
Regards
Rich Crawford
July 6
Hello all,
For my first month and a half her with the Marines at Camp Fallujah I was assigned to the Joint Prosecution Exploitation Center(JPEC) which is located at the Regional Detention Facility(RDF). The JPEC is the moving force behind the detainee process for the Marines in Anbar Province. Believe me when I say that the Marines have the detainee process right and this RDF should be the model for the entire Iraqi thrater of operations.
The Officer in Charge, Capt. Joseph Lizarraga, has set up a process where prisoners are treated firmly but fairly. Upon arriving they are screened by medical personnel and any signs of injury are documented. Every time a detainee is interrogated they are screened upon return. The detainees are processed in through the Biometric Automated Tool Set or 'BATS" system. They are fingerprinted, photographed , an iris scan is taken, and biographical data is taken. All this is uploaded into an automated data base.
The detainees receive an orange colored jump suit, a Koran and prayer rug, and a set of rules in Arabic. These rules are expained to them by an interpreter. In their cells are instructions in Arabic for the proper directions to face during prayer. Before the prisoners are received the RDF insures that the capturing unit has prepared the proper paper work, including a capture form detailing the time and location of capture, reason for detention, others cptured at the sam e location; evidence forms listing any evidence seized; a property form listing the detainee's personal property; witness statements ( at least 2).
All the evidence and reports are turned over to the JPEC for exploitation. The JPEC has an intelligence cell where analysts research the detainees name in various data bases to ascertain if there is any reporting concerning this detainees insurgent activities. There is also a document exploitation section (DOCEX) which translates all documents seized and.. exploits all media such as CDs, coputer hard drives, cameras, DVDs. Cel phones are turned over to the Radio Batallion for exploitation. All the information developed by JPEC as well as the detainee's photo are uploaded into an automated data base called the detainee tracker. At the 14 day mark an assessment is made of the case against the detainee. If there is in sufficient evidence or reporting on the detainee he is released. If there is evidence the detainee is forwarded to t he Theater Internment Facility at Camp Cropper.
Here the case takes one of two routes. If there is sufficient evidence for prosecution the case is referred to the Central Criminal Courts of Iraq (CCCI) for trial. If there is insufficient evidence for prosecution but suficient intelligence reporting indicating that the detainee poses a threat to coalition forces, the detainee is placed on a military intelligence hold. This can lead to a detention of up to 18 months with case reviews every 90 days. The Joint Prosecution Exploitation Center(JPEC) is also supported by a forensic lab. All the people I've met in my association with the JPEC do a truly outstanding and professional job, from the Marine intelligence analysts to the the NCOs and Staff NCOs of the Crminal Investigations Division assigned there( Master Gunery Sergeant John Boscia, Staff Sergeant Tim Bailey, and Sgt. Dave Nuttall). The OIC of the RDF, Capt. Lizarraga is an outstanding young officer whodoes a great job of keeping his men motivated, trained, and cared for. Most of the Marines working at the RDF are from an artillery unit and Capt. Lizarraga ensures that they spend time with the local artillery battery at Camp Fallujah training and keeping current with their MOS (military occupational specialty).
He also constructed a softball diamond from a rough field of sand, stones and dirt. It is a "Field of Dreams" Fallujah style. There are weekly softball games there followed by a steak cookouts, a great morale booster.
After a period of time at the JPEC the Marines and the LEPs ( Law Enforcement Prfessionals) determined that the JPEC was not the place where the Marines could benefit the most from the skill sets of the LEPs. Accordingly, my partner, Sam Meale and I were re assigned to the S-2 (Intelligence section) of Regimental Combat Team 6. So I was back with the "grunts" which is where I was when I was a young Marine Lt. in 1969.
Photo Gallery: Camp Fallujah - July 26
www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=A4&Date=20070726&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=726005&Ref=PH&Profile=1075
Photo Gallery: Camp Fallujah
www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=A4&Date=20070706&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=707060801&Ref=PH&Profile=1075
Ellie