VZCZCXRO8110
PP RUEHAST
DE RUEHTA #1324/01 1370650
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170650Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9457
INFO RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC//SCA COLLECTIVE/ 9458

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 001324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL/AAE (ALTON), SCA/CEN (OMARA), DEPT OF JUSTICE (DUCOT), 
DUSHANBE FOR DEA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PGOV KCRM KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: SAVING THE LIVES OF POLICE OFFICERS 
 
¶1.  Summary:  INL conducted a Police Officer Survival Techniques 
Course on April 16-27 at the Ministry of Internal Affairs Academy in 
Almaty.  Ten operations officers of the criminal police and 13 
officers from regional anti-narcotics units participated in the 
course taught by personnel from the Department of Justice 
International Criminal Investigative Training and Assistance Program 
(DOJ/ICITAP.)  The Academy Director and INL plan to create a cadre 
of Kazakhstani officers to teach the course. End summary. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  The MVD Training Center was established in 1999 and is a 
constituent part of the Institute for Training of Law Enforcement 
Management of the MVD Academy.  Zholdybai Uspanov, Head of the 
Training Center, and other Academy experts train 20 mid-to- senior 
level officers from throughout Kazakhstan in the Center each month. 
Officers of the Border Guard Service, Committee for National 
Security, Customs Control Committee, and the Financial Police 
receive training in this Center as well. 
 
¶3.  INL Officer arranged the course on police officer defensive 
tactics at the Training Center of the Police Academy of the Ministry 
of Internal Affairs using instructors from the Department of 
Justice's International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance 
Program (ICITAP) Office. 
 
 
----------------------------------------- 
U.S. SWAT TEAM IN KAZAKHSTAN, TEACHING... 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  From April 16 to 27, U.S. experts taught a two-week course on 
Police Officer Defensive Tactics to 23 officers at the Ministry of 
Internal Affairs Almaty Training Academy.  The purpose of the 
training was to instruct law enforcement officers in specialized 
self-defense tactics while detaining and arresting criminal 
suspects.  At the same time instructors ensured the arresting 
officers learned to use only the force appropriate to detain or 
arrest, thereby respecting the rights of the detained. 
 
¶5.  From the first day, the U.S. trainers' experience in SWAT teams 
and police operations won the recognition of the Kazakhstani 
officers and experts of the Training Center.  The U.S. experts 
quickly recognized the differences between Kazakhstani and American 
law enforcement systems.  For example, the participants shared with 
the American trainers that unlike in the U.S., before the arrest of 
a suspected drug dealer in Kazakhstan the arresting officer is 
required to find witnesses to monitor the arrest.  (Note: To ensure 
the police do not simply pay lip service to this requirement the 
Kazakhstani Government made the arrest witness requirement very 
strict.  The police cannot use a serial witness just to meet the 
letter of the law but must find different witnesses for each arrest. 
 End note.) 
 
¶6.  The U.S. trainers presented a variety of topics including Mental 
Strategies for Officer Survival, the principles of conducting Field 
Interviews, the use of the Force Continuum Model of using only the 
appropriate and necessary level force for the corresponding threat. 
Following the presentation of material in the classroom, the 
officers conducted practical exercises on low, medium and high risk 
traffic stops and building searches. 
 
¶7.  The trainers of MVD Academy volunteered to co-teach during the 
Defensive Tactics Training and delivered lectures on ensuring the 
security of officers in the criminal detention process, detention of 
armed criminals in a vehicle, detention of criminals in a building, 
tactics of personal search, and tactics for conducting a crime 
investigation in a confrontational environment. 
 
 
------------------------------------------ 
...OFFICER SAFETY - A NEW, WELCOME CONCEPT 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  The idea that a police force could be taught how to preserve the 
lives of officers who are risking their all in the line of duty 
struck a chord with the Kazakhstani participants.  Current 
Kazakhstani police officer and senior law enforcement management 
training does not stress that police officers are valuable and 
should not be needlessly put at risk. 
 
¶9.  Intrigued as they were by the idea that the force or its senior 
management had a responsibility to protect them, in the beginning of 
the course the officers were reluctant to admit that they might be 
injured or killed while performing their everyday duty.  Once the 
initial bravado was past, they actively interacted with the 
 
ASTANA 00001324  002 OF 002 
 
 
instructors and were eager to learn the elements of self-protection 
such as developing the proper mental attitude, physical 
preparedness, proper equipment, and legal aspects.  The eagerness to 
learn protective techniques was even more evident when participants 
began to recall cases when colleagues became victims of criminals. 
 
 
¶10.  The officers concluded that carelessness is one of the main 
reasons officers are wounded or killed.  The participants' lack of 
knowledge about self-protection while conducting operations was 
obvious in the practical exercises on the proper methods to search 
individuals, vehicles, and buildings.  U.S. instructors also quickly 
noted that some of the young officers did not practice proper 
firearm safety procedures and put themselves in the line of fire 
because of dangerous, hasty actions in risky situations. 
 
 
------------------------------ 
THIS WAS GREAT!  SHOW US MORE! 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11.  Colonel Uspanov admitted to EmbOff that most of young officers 
were not well prepared for their work.  The officers are too young, 
ambitious, and inexperienced.  Uspanov requested additional sessions 
of the same course as well as training of trainers on the methods 
and tactics of combating drug trafficking, and international 
cooperation in the fight against drugs.  (Note:  Under current and 
future Letters of Agreement, INL Kazakhstan has several 
counter-narcotics officer training sessions planned for the coming 
months and creating a cadre of trainers to carry on the program is 
integral to the program.  Kazakhstani co-teachers were incorporated 
into this training as well.  The Regional DEA Agent from Dushanbe is 
scheduled to visit Kazakhstan in early June.  End note.) 
 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12.  Thanks to ICITAP/DOJ's excellent selection of trainers the 
Kazakhstani operations officers received top-notch instruction from 
seasoned U.S. professionals.  From the feedback and engagement of 
the participants Post assesses that the two-week training opened the 
minds of the Kazakhstani officers to the idea that the life of a 
police officer is important and the rights of the citizen are to be 
respected.  For these officers at least, before making a step during 
an operation they will consider the possible consequences. 
 
ORDWAY