Toney sent the following information to the Poteau Daily News on June 19 before a truck bomb exploded near Kirkuk on June 20 killing more than 70 people and wounding nearly 200. The bombing was said to be the deadliest bombing this year.  Toney writes: This is for all those police officers everywhere, that must complete continuing education hours each year and who just dread sitting in an air conditioned classroom for eight hours, or the training room of your police department and listening to those monotone instructors that just bore you to death.

 

Be thankful you have such a place — it could be worse.  Pictured here is a typical “Iraqi Police Academy” classroom.  If they’re lucky they have the covered and concrete type.   Throughout Iraq only about 30 percent of the police academies are fortunate enough to have actual classes in a hard building with a classroom-type setting.

 

These men battle the 120 degree heat, rain, dust storms and other elements everyday for six weeks to become certified Police Officers.   Here’s the really amazing twist. Their pay for battling all this equals out to about $90 to $120 USD (US Dollars) per week for 12 hour shifts, six days a week.  So, when we think we have it bad, just remember, it could be worse.  Every day I spend over here working with these men, I thank God for what we are afforded in the good ole USA.