The 18th Military Police Brigade’s Provincial Police Transition Team assisted in transferring 600 Yamaha XJ900P police motorcycles donated by the Japanese government to Iraqi Police units at Camp Victory, Iraq, Dec. 15.
“It is very important for us to have these types of vehicles in the traffic department; more than the car, because here in Iraq, the streets are very busy and it provides our police more mobility to move around in traffic,” said Lt. Col. Mubdir Haliem, Iraqi Police traffic HQ representative.
The majority of the 600 motorcycles will be issued to police traffic stations within Baghdad. The distribution plan also includes issuing the motorcycles to other stations within Iraq.
The donation of these motorcycles comes at a time when the Iraqi Police continue to grow in capability and gain additional police officers during the IP expansion plan. As the Iraqi Police continue to improve and take on more responsibility of the security in their areas, the motorcycles will help with responding to the people’s needs.
The 18th MP Bde. PTT, in coordination with the Japanese Government, civilian contractors and the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, provided security and logistical support for the transfer of the motorcycles.
The transfer from Camp Victory to the Iraq Police Traffic Headquarters in Baghdad took 26 flatbed trucks and 52 sea shipping containers. Once the motorcycles are assembled, they will be issued to Iraqi Traffic Police Officers. The assembly, training and issue is scheduled to take one month.
