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U.S. signs letter of intent to transfer the Correctional Training Center to the Ministry of Justice

Multi-National Force-Iraq

Sunday, 11 October 2009

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
JOINT TASK FORCE 134
Detainee Operations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release 20091011

Oct. 11, 2009

U.S. signs letter of intent to transfer the Correctional Training Center to the Ministry of Justice

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – U.S. authorities signed a letter of intent at Forward Operating Base Future on Oct. 10 to transfer control of a $28 million Iraqi correctional training facility to the Ministry of Justice in mid-December.

The promise to transfer control of the facility is another milestone in the cooperative efforts between the U.S. and the Government of Iraq.

“We worked very closely with Minister Dara (Nor al-Dean Baha al-Dean) and the entire Ministry of Justice team to build this facility,” said Brig. Gen. David Quantock, Task Force 134’s commanding general.

“In the past, we didn’t have the experience on how to run detention facilities, but the Americans started to help us a lot on how to train our Iraqi Correctional Officers,” said Dara Nor al-Dean Baha al-Dean, the Minister of Justice.

Each student is taught by a cadre of senior Iraqi Correction Officers over the course of the six-week program. The training academy at FOB Future is built to closely resemble a real correctional facility. It also includes several modern classrooms and four computer labs.

The training program is run almost entirely by Iraqi instructors with only a minimum of involvement by U.S. forces.

“U.S. advisors (are) working side by side with their Iraqi partners, and we look forward to a long-term relationship and partnership with the Iraqi Corrections System,” Quantock said.

When the final transfer occurs, the facility will be completely run by the Ministry of Justice. The U.S. will only take a small advisory role in the operations of the training academy.

“We appreciate what the American forces in Iraq are doing for our ministry by training all the ICOs,” the minister said. “Our ICOs are very proficient because of the training, and we appreciate the Americans building a facility that will be a great help for our correctional system.”

Al-Dean said he was also considering creating a refresher course for existing correctional officers.

“We are thinking of bringing a lot of our correctional officers to this facility to refresh them and train them to have more experience, especially in respecting human rights of the detainees.”

The letter signing followed a graduation ceremony for more than 500 ICOs – the largest class of graduates from the training academy at FOB Future. The newest graduates will begin working in Ministry of Justice prisons as well as the U.S. detention facilities at Camps Cropper and Taji.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MNF-I Joint Task Force 134, at DSN 318-485-2802/2227/4030 or e-mail TF134PAO2@iraq.centcom.mil.