Douglas Brand
Encyclopedia
Douglas Brand OBE is former British
police officer
who was tasked with assisting with the establishment of the newly formed Iraqi Police
in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
.
. While in the Met, Brand was present at the Tottenham riots and poll tax riots
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His Met career peaked with him heading the force's public order training centre. Brand's final British police role was as the deputy chief constable
of South Yorkshire Police
.
in order to build up and advise the newly formed Iraqi Police
force in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
by coalition troops. Brand was made the chief police adviser to the Iraqi Interior Ministry. It was reported in late 2003 that a group of loyalists to the deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
put a price on Brand's head. Speaking of his decision to accept the position, Brand said "where else can you design a national police force, design a ministry of interior and mentor a police chief?" and describing the job as "one of the best jobs I have ever had". Brand was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004 for his services in Iraq.
On 11 June 2010, the Iraq Inquiry, a British independent inquiry, led by Sir John Chilcot
, into the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath resumed, having recessed for the general election, and named Brand as one of the witnesses to whom the committee would be speaking. In his evidence to the inquiry, Brand stated that British and American officials had overlooked policing requirements, calling the recruitment targets set for the Iraqi police "unrealistic given the chaotic situation in the country" and claiming that the police force never had a "proper foundation".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
who was tasked with assisting with the establishment of the newly formed Iraqi Police
Iraqi Police
The Iraqi Police Service are the uniformed Territorial police force responsible for the enforcement of civil law within Iraq.The current organisation, structure and recruitment practice was guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority following the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
Police career
Brand spent thirty-four years as a police officer, of which over twenty years were spent serving in the Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
. While in the Met, Brand was present at the Tottenham riots and poll tax riots
Poll Tax Riots
The UK Poll Tax Riots were a series of mass disturbances, or riots, in British towns and cities during protests against the Community Charge , introduced by the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His Met career peaked with him heading the force's public order training centre. Brand's final British police role was as the deputy chief constable
Deputy Chief Constable
Deputy chief constable is the second highest rank in all territorial police forces in the United Kingdom , as well as the British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police and Civil Nuclear...
of South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.The police force covers an area of approximately 1,554 square kilometres which is made up of the county's three boroughs , along with the City of Sheffield. The resident population is 1.2...
.
Iraq
In October 2003, Brand was one of two British police officers sent to IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in order to build up and advise the newly formed Iraqi Police
Iraqi Police
The Iraqi Police Service are the uniformed Territorial police force responsible for the enforcement of civil law within Iraq.The current organisation, structure and recruitment practice was guided by the Coalition Provisional Authority following the 2003 invasion of Iraq...
force in the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
by coalition troops. Brand was made the chief police adviser to the Iraqi Interior Ministry. It was reported in late 2003 that a group of loyalists to the deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
put a price on Brand's head. Speaking of his decision to accept the position, Brand said "where else can you design a national police force, design a ministry of interior and mentor a police chief?" and describing the job as "one of the best jobs I have ever had". Brand was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2004 for his services in Iraq.
On 11 June 2010, the Iraq Inquiry, a British independent inquiry, led by Sir John Chilcot
John Chilcot
The Rt. Hon. Sir John Chilcot, GCB, PC is a Privy Counsellor and former civil servant. His appointment as chair of an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq and its aftermath was announced in June 2009....
, into the invasion of Iraq and its aftermath resumed, having recessed for the general election, and named Brand as one of the witnesses to whom the committee would be speaking. In his evidence to the inquiry, Brand stated that British and American officials had overlooked policing requirements, calling the recruitment targets set for the Iraqi police "unrealistic given the chaotic situation in the country" and claiming that the police force never had a "proper foundation".