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[[دوتنه:Afghan National Police graduate from prison guard training by the USA.jpg|بټنوک|250px|کیڼ|افغان ملي پولیس]]
{{Infobox Military Unit
|unit_name=Afghan National Police
|image=[[Image:ANP Logo Sm.jpg|201px]]
|caption=Emblem of the Afghan National Police.
|dates=2003–present
|country=[[Afghanistan]]
|branch=
|type=
|role=Domestic Security & Law Enforcement
|size=80,000 active
|command_structure=
|garrison=
|garrison_label=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
<!-- Commanders -->
|current_commander=[[Mohamad Hanif Atmar]]
|current_commander_label=[[Afghan Interior Minister|Minster of the Interior]]
<!-- Insignia -->
}}
The '''Afghan National Police''' ('''ANP''') is the primary national police force in [[Afghanistan]]. It is under the responsibility of Afghanistan's [[Interior Minister of Afghanistan|Ministry of the Interior]].
The paramilitary police force is under development and being primarily trained by the [[German military]], other NATO forces and an [[EU]]-led mission ([[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]]).
The current Afghan National Police force include more than 75,954 members.<ref>Radin, C. J. (2009). Afghan National Security Forces Order of Battle. [[The Long War Journal]]. Retrieved from [http://www.longwarjournal.org/oob/afghanistan/index.php]</ref>
==History==
After the collapse of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, there was little in the nation resembling a functional police department and private, armed militias of warlords quickly filled the vacuum left behind by a lack of central governance. The Ministry of Interior, under the newly constructed government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, centralized in Kabul, exercised little control over provincial police structures and was unable to effectively secure the remote provinces. Most of these problems were established after the [[Siege of Kabul|Fall of Kabul in 1992]], the country entered a pase of anarchy and chaos. From 1978–1992 the Afghan police had firm control over the country, much thanks to the [[Soviet Union]] and other factors related to the [[Soviet war in Afghanistan]] and the [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan]] (DRA).<ref name="dddgfdfdfd">{{cite web|author=Jonathan Steele |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/feb/26/afghanistan.comment |title=Kabul's loss |publisher=''The Guardian'' | language=| accessdate=2009-03-21}}</ref> Traditionally, police officers (or ''soldiers'') were poorly paid, recruited or conscripted from the poorest classes of society and frequently held in contempt by the communities they served. Compounding these factors, over two decades of unrest had also resulted in an illiteracy rate conservatively estimated at over 70% for police recruits. [[Image:Kabul Police Officers.jpg|thumb|left|Afghan National Police (ANP) in 2005.]]
Although early efforts had trained 35,000 officers in basic recruit schools during 2003 and 2004, this training was insufficient to strengthen the structures and senior command levels needed to create an effective police force. Germany, as lead nation for police under the Bonn II Agreement, concentrated its efforts on setting up the Kabul Police Academy and drafted the long range blueprint for restructuring the police services. Except for Konduz Province which had a Provisional Reconstruction Team (PRT), Germany’s program had only limited reach into the provinces. As the U.S. Department of State International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau’s (INL) activity at this time was limited in resources and scope, the U.S. Departments of Defense and State, in Spring 2005, decided to shift the implementation of the police training and equipment program to the Office of Security Cooperation-Afghanistan (OSC-A), under the authority of the Commanding General, Combined Forces Command (CFC-A). In April 2006 OSC-A became the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) keeping the OSC-A mission.
The 2005 changes led to an increased impetus to implement significant reform programs, particularly the reform of higher staff levels at the Ministry of the Interior, the placement of police mentors throughout the country, substantial pay increases in the police salary plan and an impending, complete restructuring of the police payroll system. A nationwide reassessment of infrastructure and equipment needs was also undertaken, followed with the distribution of critically needed weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and office/dorm furniture. Although progress has been made in the areas of infrastructure, equipment and payroll distribution, these programs will take some time to reach fruition.
==Structure==
[[File:Laura Bush with Afghan National Police in 2008.jpg|thumb|Former [[First Lady]], [[Laura Bush]], from the [[United States]] shaking hand with Afghan National Police in 2008.]]
The Afghan National Police (ANP) is an organization that falls under the control and responsibility of the Afghan Ministry of Interior, along with the Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) and the Counter Terrorism Department. The ANP is composed of the following sub-agencies:
* Afghan Uniform Police
* Afghan Border Police
* Afghan Highway Police
'''Afghan Uniform Police (AUP)'''
The Afghan Uniform Police is the primary civil law enforcement agency in Afghanistan. The ANP is divided into five regional commands (north, south, east, west and central) as well as the Afghan National Civil Order Police, or ANCOP. Other forces falling under the command and control of the ANP include local traffic police departments as well as the fire department.
* '''Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP)'''
'''Afghan Border Police (ABP)'''
The Afghanistan Border Police are responsible for securing the borders of Afghanistan against the illegal entry of persons and the smuggling of contraband.
The Border Police specific duties include the following:
* Provide border security patrols within a security zone that extends 55 km into the territory of Afghanistan.
* Provide immigration / visa services and investigate immigration violations.
* Establish and maintain Border Crossing Points, to include Airports.
* Provide perimeter, building, aircraft and passenger security of international airports.
'''Afghan Highway Police'''
The highway police are a sub-department of the national police that is currently being dissolved. Their primary responsibility is to provide traffic safety and overall security of the "Ring Road" highway that connects most of the major population centers in Afghanistan. Most of the personnel, equipment and facilities that comprise the highway police are expected to be reorganized under the uniform police.
==Facilities==
* '''Kabul Police Academy''' - established by the [[Germany|German]] police mission
* '''Central Training Facility''' in [[Kabul]] led by US training
* 7 Regional Training Centers - training from [[US forces]]
==Rank Structure==
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Afghan-police-ranks.jpg|700px]] -->
'''Rank Disparities'''
Some ranks are known by several names. These disparities are most-likely caused through different translations from Dari to western languages as well as being interpreted differently by inherently unrelated agencies such as the U.S. military versus the German Police. The role of the "sergeant", or noncommissioned officer, is not well developed and is often overlooked by the prestige associated with being a regular, or commissioned, officer (lieutenant or higher). This lack of emphasis on the subordinate ranks has also stunted the clear definition of ranks as well as their roles and responsibilities.
The ranks of '''3rd Lieutenant''' and '''Senior Captain''' are being phased out after the Ministry of Interior underwent a Rank Reform process in which they eliminated a disproportionate amount of senior-ranking officers within the police. These ranks are believed to have served as a way to better distinguish and balance out an extremely top-heavy leadership corps.
'''Known Alternative Titles'''
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
| 2nd Patrolman
| Soldier
|-
| 1st Patrolman
| Soldier
|-
| Sergeant
| 3rd Sergeant
|-
| Staff Sergeant
| 2nd Sergeant
|-
| Senior Sergeant
| 1st Sergeant
|}
'''Rank Reform'''
The original formation of police and security forces saw an overwhelming majority of senior-ranking personnel due to disorganization and corruption. It was not uncommon to find someone holding a senior rank, such as lieutenant colonel, possessing minimal qualifications or having little to no responsibilities for a rank of that stature. It was a period of total mismanagement that allowed people to use bribery and other forms of influence to gain prominent positions in the national police force. It was soon evident that the organization was “top heavy” and thus ineffective in conducting the daily duties expected of the police. Furthermore, many leaders inside the Ministry of Interior were guilty of human rights violations and other forms of blackmail and corruption. There was an obvious need to reorganize and repair this broken ministry.
MOI began a Rank Reform initiative in October 2005 to completely overhaul and replace it’s existing leadership structure and composition. The United Nations and ISAF forces conducted [[background check]]s on all eligible candidates in attempt to thwart the acceptance of MOI leaders with past human rights violations or records of corruption. Concurrent with rank reform, salary reform was also implemented to match their pay with that of their equivalent counterparts in the Afghan National Army who had been receiving higher pay from their inception.
Despite rank and pay reform, it is still very common to see a disproportionate level of senior-ranking officers within the police force. Although these officers have been “reformed” and their rank and pay adjusted to “sergeant”, for example, they will still wear the rank of “captain”, or whatever they feel is appropriate, in an effort to retain more authority. Corruption, bribery and treason are also still very common in the national police.
==Equipment==
[[Image:Afghan AKS-47.jpg|thumb|An ANP instructor demonstrates using an [[AK-47]].]]
The primary vehicle of the ANP is the four-wheel drive [[Ford Explorer]], provided by the thousands from the United States. Other vehicles include a diesel-powered variant of the U.S. consumer [[Nissan]] Frontier, [[Toyota]] and SORV pickup trucks from [[Thailand]] as well as [[Yamaha]] motorcycles donated by Japan. Older vehicles, like the [[UAZ-469]] all-terrain vehicle, were obtained from the [[Soviet Union]]. The ANP also operates 660 new tactical ambulances donated by the United States. The areas around Kabul are where most of the newest vehicles are concentrated.
*'''Weapons'''
**[[Glock]] pistols {{flagicon|Austria}}
**[[M16 rifle]] {{flagicon|USA}}
**[[Smith & Wesson Sigma]] {{flagicon|USA}}
**[[M9 pistol]] {{flagicon|Italy}}
**[[AK-47]] assault rifles {{flagicon|Soviet Union}}
**[[AMD 65]] assault rifles {{flagicon|Hungary}}
**[[Rocket-propelled grenade]] systems
Uniforms and body armor remain widely mis-matched and poorly distributed. Most police personnel are issued at least one uniform that is traded out for warmer/cooler uniforms depending on the season. It is common to find a varying array of blue, green and gray uniforms amongst the police due to different manufacturers. Some police have resorted to having their own uniforms custom made. Body armor and helmets are seldom given to individual soldiers and are often given out on an ''as-needed'' basis. The composition of this equipment varies between American, Russian and Chinese military grade equipment to 3rd party equipment that provides little-to-no real protection. Plans to upgrade weapons and uniform are being drafted by the Afghan government.
==Corruption within the ANP==
Widespread [[Political corruption|corruption]] in all levels of the ANP has long been a major problem for the combating of the [[Taliban insurgency]]. [[Taliban]] fighters of both high and low rank have been able to quickly buy their release from police custody with bribes ranging from $100–$10,000.<ref>[[Newsweek]]: [http://www.newsweek.com/id/107576 Afghan Prison Blues] February 11, 2008 Issue</ref> Drug use, defections to the Taliban and sexual harassment of female officers is also widespread within the ANP.<ref>{{cite news |first=Per Anders |last=Johansen |authorlink= |coauthors=Tor Arne Andreassen |title=
Police face huge training challenges in Afghanistan |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2681857.ece |work= |publisher=[[Aftenposten]] |date=29 September 2008 |accessdate=2008-09-30 }}</ref>
Due to the high level of corruption, the Afghan government sends the relatively un-corrupted Afghan National Army to more sensitive scenarios. The level of corruption has resulted in decreased monetary support of the National Police and increased monetary support of the National Army on the part of international donors. Typically the ANP badge is worn on one shoulder and the Afghanistan flag on the other.
==See also==
*[[Afghanistan Police Program]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons2|Afghan National Police}}
*[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/60086.htm Afghanistan National Security Forces]
[[Category:Law enforcement agencies of Afghanistan]]
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