First Canadian civilian police commander for Afstan appointed

Note the increasing numbers:

Mountie takes command of Canadian police trainers in Afghanistan

An RCMP assistant commissioner was appointed Monday as the first Canadian police commander in Afghanistan.

Graham Muir, who totes a 34-year tenure with the RCMP, will be in charge of all Canadian civilian police in the war-ravaged country. There are currently 30 Canadian officers from seven police agencies deployed in Afghanistan [an Ottawa Police officer is there], with that number expected to jump to 50 [emphasis added] later this year.

Muir will be stationed in Kabul at the Canadian Embassy, where he will also offer advice and expertise to Ron Hoffmann -- Canada’s ambassador to Afghanistan -- on ways to reform the Afghan National Police.

“Enabling the Afghan National Security Forces to establish a more secure environment and promote law and order continues to be a priority for Canada,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, who announced the appointment with RCMP Commissioner William Elliott. “We are helping to develop a team of Afghan professionals that will gradually take over more and more responsibility for security in the country.”

During his police career, Muir has completed a number of international postings.

In 1993, he was a member of the United Nations Police in the former Yugoslavia and also worked as commissioner to the UN mission in Haiti from August 2005 to September 2006.

From the official news release:

...
The appointment of the senior Canadian civilian police officer in Afghanistan will provide expertise at the national level to strengthen ANP capabilities. He will be stationed at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul and, as a member of the Embassy’s senior management team, will provide technical expertise and advice to Canada’s Ambassador to Afghanistan on the reform of the ANP. The CPC will be part of a growing team, based both in Kabul in Kandahar province, whose activities are coordinated by the Ambassador of Canada in Afghanistan and by the Representative of Canada in Kandahar (RoCK)...