Written by Staff Sgt. Tanya Thomas, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division-Center Public Affairs
Tuesday, March 08, 2011RAMADI, Iraq – In the wake of the murder of a 10-year-old boy Tameem, Iraq, Iraqi Police in the area have been taking steps to build greater ties to the community while ensuring the safety and security of local residents.
Capt. Steve Pierce applauds an Iraqi Police officer’s efforts as he and prepares to take donated school supplies to an elementary school in Tameem, Iraq, Saturday, March 5, 2011. The IP plan to distribute the school supplies to students at the school as a way to help build relationships with the community and alleviate any fears in the wake of the killing of a 10-year-old in the community.
“The police wanted to do something for the families in order to help them go through the healing process of this great tragedy,” said Capt. Steven Pierce, commander of D Company, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division—Center, whose unit has been partnering with IPs assigned to District Headquarters II in nearby Ramadi.
Together, the two forces came up with a plan to donate school supplies and other items to the elementary school where the boy attended as a way to both highlight their presence in the area and alleviate any fears those at the school may have.
“The children in the community have been afraid to go to this school (since the murder incident),” said Pierce, “so this is a chance for the police to show their community that they really care.”
The IP met up with D Company Soldiers at Camp Ali, an Iraqi Army installation, March 5 and loaded 300 bags of pencils, notebooks and other school necessities into their vehicles.
“We will take these (items) to the school and distribute them,” an Iraqi Police officer assured Pierce after stowing the items onto the bed of his pick-up truck.
Pierce said that normally the American Soldiers and their Iraqi Security Forces counterparts jointly host combined community outreach events or distribute humanitarian assistance.
“But we wanted this in particular to be something that the community views as an IP effort,” said Pierce, adding that the goal is to build a greater trust between the IP and the local community.
Pierce and his men watched as the IP drove off of the army camp with the boxes of donated school supplies. He said it was good to see first-hand the ISF progression.
“I was here in (a few years ago),” said Pierce. “It was really just blazing your way through this country and you’d see that it was just completely destroyed. Being a part of this phase of the war—seeing that the Iraqi (security forces) are a professional organization and really taking ownership of security, and that they really care about their country just like I care about my country—it’s closure for me too.”
Pierce said that after the IP distributes the items to the school, they will meet again to discuss the outcome of the event and other ways forward to work with the community.
“We’ll provide an overall assessment for them,” he said. “Ultimately, we’re here to ensure they achieve complete success.”
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