International Cops on the Front Lines of Fighting Terrorism
8 weeks. That’s how long a cop in Afghanistan gets for basic training. Compare that to what a trainee receives in Philadelphia (30 weeks), Baltimore County (27 weeks), or DC (24 weeks). And your average Afghan police officer can’t read at a 1st grade level.
Local police are often the first (and occasionally the last) line of defense against violent extremism in places like Afghanistan. But corrupt, ill-trained police can actually spur violence and cause local citizens to turn away from the government.
That’s why Congress shouldn’t cut foreign aid pegged to training foreign police forces. If we can help citizens abroad, it will inevitably help protect citizens here at home.
Read the new Idea Brief from the Third Way National Security Program, “International Cops on the Front Lines of Fighting Terrorism.”
