Federal Restrictions on using U.S. MPs for law enforcement on foreign soil
Please excuse the long title.
I am doing some research on SSTR and have a question regarding using U.S. MPs in a law enforcement roll outside the US. I have been told that there is a federal restriction on using MPs in such a roll. Does anyone know if this it true and where the restriction originates from?
Thanks
Restrictions on military policing
To the best of my knowledge and experience (in Post Conflict Panama and the training mission in El Salvador), other than the SOFA, restictions involve training of local police under Section 660 D of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 as amended. Under that provision, US military forces are prohibited from training local police without a specific waiver. That waiver was forthcoming in El Salvador but not in Panama. However, under international law, forces occupying a country (de jure or de facto) are required to provide law and order, among other things like food, water, medecine, sanitation, and government. Panama was a case of de facto occupation. Initially, infantry from the 193rd brigade policed Panama's streets. (I well remember the brigade commander, COL Mike Snell, urging me to get Panama's prison and night courts up and running so he could get his troops out of the policing business! :wry:) Later, we had MPs conducting joint patrols with the newly raised Panama National Police and we (US forces) conducted the initial training program for them. We were soon told that 660 D applied and that PNP training was the responsibility of the DOJ ICITAP (International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program). Since ICITAP had trouble getting off the ground we were permitted/encouraged by Ambassador Deane Hinton to continue to "monitor and advise" the PNP. This became a SF job - both AC and RC (the RC SF were cops in civilian life and were paired with AC SF teams). More can be found in my April 1992 SSI monograph, "The Fog of Peace: Planning and Executing the reconstruction of Panama" also published by Praeger as the first part of CIVIL MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THE NEW WORLD in 1997.
Cheers
JohnT
JohnT and 660 (almost rhymes)
John,
Thanks, exactly the type of thing I was looking for. Looked up the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and it appears that it does not restrict money to be used for police training in a post-conflict environment. Knew about ICITAP but they seem very small and underfunded, although a great resource.
You are way too charitable...
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Originally Posted by
TheCurmudgeon
... Sometimes what we do makes no sense.
It's the American way... :wry:
Shop for Cops at the Cop Shop...
Exempting the FBI who should be left alone; they have enough they won't be able to do. Cops can't catch terrorists because Cops play too nice and have a follow the law mindset -- that is a good thing -- gotta set a thief to catch a thief. Cops can train people to look for terrs; then the trainees will figure out the rest of it...
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Originally Posted by
TheCurmudgeon
I don't believe that it is, but even so, it is better than using Armor or Artillery officers to train the Iraqi Police.
Amen to that...
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...If you train for the mission you can do it in the same way you train the infantry for war without actually having a training war going on all the time.
And that.
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Being in high demand does not always equate to using them in the most efficent manner.
That, too...
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I will agree that my preference would be to use reserve/guard MPs whose civilian job is as a police officer. This is particularly true with MTT teams. However, no one else seems to think that way.
However, gotta disagree on that one -- I think the same way, and I know others do as well. It is not the best option but it is the best achievable and the cheapest option (cheap in more than just the cost aspect).
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I don't think your thoughts are shallow, I just think that the mission could be done once someone decided to do it.
True, he exresses valid concerns but the alternatives are not good -- we've tried most and the just do not work. Or we can dither and stew about it for a few years while doing nothing. That, too is the American way... :D