"They put in their time every day and look forward to getting paid," said police trainer Marine Lance Cpl. Adam Wemhoner. "They're doing a good job working with us and they are catching on to what we teach them pretty good."

Many of the Marines charged with training the Iraqi police serve as police officers in the United States, the U.S. military said, so officials see the cooperation between military and civilian forces conducive to establishing an effective security force.

"Three out of the 10 guys on the team are police officers back home and that makes it a little bit easier for us because of their experience," Wemhoner said.

Sgt. Carmen Consolino, the Marine officer charged with training the Iraqi police in Habbaniyah, about 50 miles west of Baghdad, said the integrative training technique in the field is bolstered by daily classes on policing tactics.

"We're trying to prepare them to become a stand-alone police department that the people can count on and trust. It takes time, but it's working," Consolino said.