BAGHDAD, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- Top Iraqi police officials and U.S. mentors welcomed nearly 500 new Iraqi police officers into the force at a graduation ceremony in Baghdad, a report said.
The addition of the 493 new graduates from a training facility in Baghdad improves the opportunity for Iraq to expand its security forces, and the program expects to graduate an additional 12,000 new recruits as it develops, Multi-National Corps-Iraq said.
A U.S. police transition chief expressed optimism over the developments of the fledgling security force.
"I am very impressed with the training we have seen to date in this graduating class, as they (Iraqi police trainers) have led the class completely on their own," he said.
The program teaches recruits basic law enforcement techniques as well as ethics and human-rights guidelines, the military report said.
The Iraqi police force demonstrated combat and clearing maneuvers, first aid and neighborhood security techniques during the ceremony.
