CANBERRA, Australia, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Australia plans expansion of its international police deployment force for use in regional trouble spots such as East Timor and the Soloman Islands.
The Australian reported Tuesday the Cabinet of Prime Minister John Howard was expected to approve expansion funding soon and that 420 to 430 new positions would be provided for to bring the international deployment force to about 1,000 people.
Authorities said the enlarged group would help Australia avoid having to deploy troops to help restore law and order.
Overall, the Australian Federal Police has 5,500 officers.
AFP officials reject the notion, however, that the enlarged deployment group would become a paramilitary force or regional gendarmerie.
"We have not gone with a gendarmerie, but there will be very close joint training with the army," the newspaper quoted an unidentified senior government source.
The AFP's current deployment force has personnel in eight countries, including 204 in East Timor and the Solomans, which have been wracked by civil disturbances.
