Helensburgh Inspector Trains Afghan Police in Afghanistan

HELENSBURGH INSPECTOR TRAINS AFGHAN POLICE IN AFGHANISTAN

A police inspector from Clynder with 23 years experience is helping to train the fledgling police in Afghanistan.

Inspector Bill McGuinness, 53, is putting his 23 years of experience to good use in Afghanistan serving as a Ministry of Defence Mentor to the Afghan National Police force.

After 20 years of service with the West Yorkshire Police, Bill transferred to the Ministry of Defence Police in 2006 and has been in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, since December 2008 where he works alongside his international police colleagues.

British and NATO forces are in Afghanistan to stabilise the war-torn country and to extend security. Vital to this is the development of the Afghan National Police. Bill is based at the Headquarters of the UK Task Force Helmand in the town of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand. One of his main roles is mentoring the police and passing on the basic skills he has picked up, from evidence gathering to conducting investigations and dealing with suspects.

"I have been involved in working in a number of other roles since arriving in Afghanistan including counter narcotics and logistics. I am currently mentoring a major in the Afghan National Police who commands the Guard Force that is responsible for the security of the newly-built Provincial Police Headquarters in Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province."

Bill has witnessed more than his fair share of action during his tour in Afghanistan. One day in particular, 16 March 2009, will forever stand out in Bill's memory as he explains:

"Obviously my colleagues and I will never forget the day the suicide bomber attacked the new Police Headquarters we were working in at the time".

Thanks to a conscientious Afghan policeman who used the skills and techniques taught by Bill and his colleagues, everyone inside the building survived the attack and the new Police Headquarters was not damaged.

"The new Helmand Provincial Police Headquarters is a real asset for the Afghan National Police and seeing this facility progress and seeing the police force take shape has been very rewarding. I have been directly involved with mentoring the Guard Force for the Headquarters and improving their conditions and security skills."

And so with his six month tour drawing to a close in June, Bill is looking forward to 'chilling out' when he returns home to Clynder and seeing his wife, Carole, daughter Melissa and son Callum.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Afghan National Police force. Being in Afghanistan has been an incredible and rewarding experience and working alongside so many different people from different countries and backgrounds has been a highlight for me".