Afghanistan-bound Marines come to LAPD to learn how to protect and serve

Marines from Camp Pendleton, soon to deploy to Afghanistan, have been doing ride-alongs with Los Angeles Police Department officers to learn how to deal with a civilian population that is sometimes suspicious and hostile.

Under the counter-insurgency strategy, the Marines will be assigned to protect the civilian population and to mentor the Afghan police in Helmand Province, a longtime Taliban stronghold.

"People are the center of gravity, and if you do everything you can to protect them, then they'll protect you,"  Marine Lt. Andrew Abbott told the Associated Press. "That's something true here [in Los Angeles] and pretty much everywhere."

The Marines hope that in exchange for security the Afghans will provide intelligence about the Taliban in their midst.

But winning trust is difficult, whether in Marja or South-Central.

The AP reports that when Abbott was riding with Sgt. Arno Clair, the 16-year veteran of the LAPD waved out the window to a fellow and called out, "What's happenin,' man?"

The man "looked away in disgust."

--Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Staff Sgt. Brendan Flynn (right ) and Staff Sgt. David Christensen listen to roll-call instructions at the LAPD Southwest Community station. In front is LAPD Officer Michael Liebe. Credit: Jae C.Hong / Associated Press

Comments

[Mr. Z]

Really...LAPD is the best example of "Serve & Protect"...The war is lost and we all are doomed!!

[Verballistic]

Tremendous honor for the LAPD...to be chosen as the police department to train the Marine trainers of the Afghan police. A tough job to be sure, but hopefully this will help the now deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

When Al Qaeda made a statement about the Iraq War being the most important battlefield in their quest for a global Islamic caliphate, the Bush administration wisely used that statement to build support for the surge of 2007-08, which eventually turned the tide in that war. So NO Islamic extremist groups from Al Qaeda to the Taliban are about to make any rash statements about Afghanistan being the central battlefield in the war of radical Islam vs the West, because they know from experience that such a statement could again come back to haunt them, even though that statement would be TRUE.

[tegan]

I come from a police background. LAPD has no business talking about citizens being the center of gravity. The ONLY time period in my life when LAPD has even approached being interested in citizens was under Chief Bratton. In every circumstance I have had the opportunity to deal with LAPD they have proved themselves unworthy of respect and trust. They seem to consider themselves above the citizenry and I feel the beat officers have more of a passion for being "the man" than enforcing the law. They have earned their bad reputation with me.

[Verballistic]

Question for Mr Z:

I'm not sure who you are blasting here...the police or the military. I havent ruled out the option of BOTH, since most lefties despise them both...