Cops In Kabul by William C. Malone

Cops In Kabul is the biographical account of former Deputy Commander William C. Malone of the Canadian Police contingent stationed in Afghanistan. As the first CivPol group to deploy to the Central Asian war torn country under a new Afghan training mission in May 2011,  Malone details the yearlong efforts to bring about peace, security and the rule of law to a seemingly lawless and brutal society. Malone's narrative will leave the reader in awe of these fearless defenders of the legal process while at the same time busting an occasional gut at their attempts to navigate international protocols in a theatre of war. 


Cops In Kabul was an eye opening read that provided a rare glimpse into the role Canadian police volunteers played as members of the NATO coalition. Malone's account is an honest and forthright recollection of events spanning his time in prepping for the mission to deployment to the region. It further details the challenges and successes of attempting to marry military strategy with civilian police training tactics in a country that had become accustomed to war, conflict and bloodshed. Over the course of 14 chapters, readers will gain a deep and personal appreciation for the thoughts, fears, and motivation experienced by Malone and members of the contingent as they worked to train and mentor the Afghan National Police. I often found myself shaking my head as Malone chronicled the duplication of services provided by the international coalition, the billions of dollars spent and lost to fraudulent causes and corrupt governments, and the pie-in-the-sky Western strategies that were often considered and attempted. Though I found the author's use of mission acronyms and personal names distracting, the chronology of historic events at the beginning as well as the many maps, pictures, footnotes and appendices aided my understanding of the subject matter. This book opened my eyes to the sacrifices Canadian and international peacekeepers face each and everyday and the personal impact of this service long after the mission is over. The main theme of this book is reinforced by a quote of Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed by Malone in the Epilogue;

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Thank-you, William C. Malone, for your service!  Cops In Kabul is a Flanker Press publication.