presorted standard us postage paid permit #88 enfield, ct

Maffei Shares Law Enforcement Experience
Lt. Col. Maffei interacts with children while on a mission in the Dora District of Baghdad.
By Chief Warrant Officer 3 Richard Woodlock
Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs
Lt. Col. Michael Maffei, a veteran of the Cambridge Police Department,
recently returned from a tour in Iraq. Before being deployed, Maffei spent
the previous 19 years in the aviation community where he was an accomplished
rotary wing aircraft pilot, instructor pilot and instrument flight
examiner. Recently, Maffei attended the United States Army War College at
the Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
Maffei deployed to Iraq in June 2006, and was assigned to the Multi-National
Force-Iraq Headquarters. Maffei’s newly acquired skills as a strategist
coupled with his extensive background in law enforcement made him a
perfect fit for his new assignment. Maffei focused his attention on the
training of Iraq’s police force and the transition of responsibility from
coalition forces to the newly restructured force.
To put things in perspective, Baghdad is similar to New York City in many
regards: land area, a population of about 5.2 million people and approximately
20,000 police officers employed. One thing that is very different
though is the amount of violent crime and murders. Between January 2006
and August 2006 there were 949 murders in Baghdad (144 murders per
100K people) compared to 371 in NYC (4.5 murders per 100K people).
The Iraqi Police Force prior to Maffei’s arrival was not functioning as a
crime prevention force. Rather, the police holed up in fortified police stations
going to the street only after a crime had been committed. This style of
policing eroded public confidence in the police force, fueled organized
crime and emboldened the insurgents.
“I really believed that my most significant accomplishment wasn’t a
particular product or event, but the strategic result of numerous events I
was allowed to contribute to,” said Maffei, “My lofty goal when I arrived
was to shorten the war. It may sound absurd, but that is ultimately our
purpose. Every day about 150,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines
get up and go to work in Iraq, not all come back. The focus of everything
we do is on shortening the war, and therefore saving lives. I believe what I
was allowed to accomplish in my time there contributed to that goal.”
Maffei went to work helping to restructure the force, creating new tactics,
techniques and procedures and finally, training the new force. TTP’s were
instituted to help the citizens of Baghdad deal with terrorism and crime,
which included promoting local vigilance, educational programs in schools
and in the workplace along with increased police patrols and added
security checkpoints. These programs, together with police training
academies, police training teams and public awareness, are the foundation
for a complex plan to make the streets of Baghdad safer for all. ✯
The Force of Freedom 7