Source:
The Talon
AFSOUTH

July 19, 1996

Based directly behind the Nordic-Polish Brigade corporate offices in Doboj, the Brigade Military Police Company (MP COY) is situated in an informal compound of conex containers, IFOR patrol vehicles, and living accommodations. With 46 members on the force, the company is responsible for enforcing the rules and regulations that apply to IFOR troops functioning in NORDPOLBDE's extensive area of operations. Among that multinational team of MPs are ten personnel that proudly wear the Swedish flag on the left sleeve of their uniform. Just two short months ago, each of the ten men was serving in his local community as a civilian police officer. For reasons that range from the lure of excitement to the satisfaction of making a contribution, they volunteered to reaffiliate with the Swedish Army, leave their beautiful homeland, and travel across the continent to support Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR.

"I was offered a nice position here as platoon commander," said Swedish Army Captain Peter Gustafsson of Stockholm. "It's a nice opportunity to get together with the guys, enjoy some new adventures, and help a country that really needs it."

Gustafsson's resume boasts nearly seven years of experience as a civilian police officer, including a nationally mandated three-year stay at the police academy. He also served four years on active duty as an MP and has attended the United Nations Military Police School in Denmark. The records of his nine subordinates are filled similarly with extensive blocks of time on the street, bringing down the bad guys in various cities and towns around Sweden. Though their respective methods of getting to Bosnia are varied, as some asked to be part of the effort while others were courted by the Swedish Army, the entire augmentation here is voluntary.

The Swedish Army's history of activating civilian police officers for participation in peacekeeping operations dates back to the late '50s when they deployed to the Congo, according to Gustafsson. Since, they have sent reserve MPs to several volatile areas including Cypress, Lebanon, and a host of sites in the former Yugoslavia. Gustafsson, for example, spent six months in Tuzla last year, performing a similar role but under more constraining circumstances. "There was no freedom of movement, checkpoints everywhere," he said. A regiment of Swedish MPs is currently located in Tuzla and a single military policeman is standing a post in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Swedish police officers answering the call to become MPs in Bosnia agreed to a minimum six-month commitment when they signed on the dotted line. The contract can be severed at any time, but if the action is based on anything less than dire straits, the member endangers his chances of being selected for future assignments. There was a one-week training session prior to arriving in-country, that focused on first aid, mine awareness, weapons qualifications, and "soldier things." The current group assumed their watch in early-June, replacing a contingent of fellow countrymen that had been on station since January.

The Swedish MPs are fully integrated into the company, working alongside soldiers from Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Poland. Many of the procedures they practice during the day are quite different from their civilian roles at home. The daily routine involves everything from patrols and investigations to speed checks and vehicle checkpoints for military traffic. On weekends, they can be called upon to monitor for possible riots during mass-crossings over the 156 clicks of inter-entity boundary line that fall within their area of operations. Patrols often prove to be a unique opportunity to interact with the local population.

"Every time we are out patrolling, we stop and say hello to someone, talk to their kids, make friendly conversation, help somebody out with a problem they have," Gustafsson said. "It's a Swedish way of living. Some say we're too blue-eyed but we try to be as friendly as possible and let the people know that we're here for their benefit."

Occasionally, the Swedish MPs have a chance to apply their civilian knowledge to military problems and share some of their civilian experiences with MPs who have been limited to the military side of the fence. Many of the Swedes have had dramatic episodes under fire and can offer valuable first-hand advice on reacting properly. On the flip side, they can draw wisdom from both their MP brethren and the conditions surrounding them in Bosnia, adding another dimension to their own expertise.

"I think we'll take back a lot of experience in our luggage when we go home," Gustafsson said. "We work in different ways than the other countries do. There's always another way of doing things, another way of thinking. You can always learn something new from anyone, any point of view. We have a special way of seeing things back home. When you come here, you just have to look at the houses, bombed out houses and everything is shot to pieces. It makes you more human I think."