Afghan Police

AFGHAN NATIONAL POLICE (ANP)
Data as of April 2010
Strength: 102,995 (as of 29 Mar 10)
Currently in training: 7,116
Target Strength: 109,000 (by October 2010)
134,000 (by October 2011)

Primary ANP organizations include:
Afghan Uniformed Police: 81,842
Afghan Border Police: 14,494
Afghan National Civil Order Police: 3,964
Afghan Counter-Narcotics Police: 2,695

Current Performance Levels Based Upon Capability Milestones (CM):
CM-1 Police are capable of basic law and order operations and leadership tasks appropriate to local circumstances without external assistance: 12 districts
CM-2 Capable of basic law and order operations and leadership tasks appropriate to local circumstances with routine advisor assistance: 39 districts
CM-3 Capable of basic law and order operations and leadership tasks appropriate to local circumstances with International Community assistance: 39 districts

Having posts in nearly every one of Afghanistan’s 365 districts, the Afghan National Police aims to provide security at the local level. ANP capability development continues to lag behind that of the ANA. Building the ANP requires not just providing substantive training, improving literacy, and building leadership, but also reducing corruption.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) key supporting tasks have, before the establishment of NTM-A, included: niche training of non-police specific skills (such as counter-IED training) indirect mentoring and role modelling through local partnership arrangements. NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) will now also provide additional focus on ANP training, through the deployment of Police Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams (POMLT). NATO currently fields 32 POMLTs. 

Germany fields 9 teams, plus up to 41 teams planned.1 The NATO-ISAF POMLT programme works in complement with other nationally-led teams, which perform similar duties. The United States fields 278 teams.

NATO will support reform at the district level and below to increase operational capabilities and survivability. The ANP needs the ability to maintain gains achieved in fighting the insurgency. The European Police Mission (EUPOL) will maintain its current focus on conventional policing and higher-level police management and standards.

NATO and EUPOL coordination is achieved through the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board and International Police Coordination Board. Efforts will be carried out in compliance with the Police Reform Plan – or Tashkil – set out by the Afghan Ministry of Interior.

Since 28 August 2008, the Afghan National Security Forces have gradually taken over the lead responsibility for security in Kabul province. This process is led by the Afghan Ministry of Interior and supported by the Ministry of Defence and ISAF.

Germany provides up to 50 Police Mentoring Teams (10 personnel each) for up to 40 districts between 2009 and 2012 in RC North. German PMT cooperate with NTMA, but for legal reasons are not under the command of NTMA.

POLICE FATALITIES:

January 1 - June 30, 2010: 289
2009: 639
2007-2008: 1,412

It is impossible to know how many ANP personnel were killed before 2007.

Source: Congressional Research Service (September 2010)