Press Releases 2008

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Presents 97 New Police Vehicles to the ISF

June 27, 2008

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Michele J. Sison presented 97 Dodge Charger police vehicles to Internal Security Forces (ISF) Director General Achraf Rifi at the ISF Mobile Forces headquarters today in Dbayeh.  These new police vehicles bring to 300 the total U.S. donation of Dodge Chargers to the ISF.  The vehicles will assist the ISF in fulfilling its professional responsibilities of protecting Lebanese citizens and residents throughout Lebanon.  This latest delivery is in addition to the 60 Ford Explorers and 14 Armed Personnel Carriers that the U.S. Embassy previously provided to the ISF.  Also attending today’s ceremony were Mobile Forces Commander Robert Jabbour and members of the ISF Command Staff. 

The U.S. announced this week a $22 million pledge to assist Lebanon in its reconstruction of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian camp.  As part of this pledge, the U.S. will support the ISF through capacity building and technical assistance as the Government of Lebanon reinstates its security responsibility over the refugee camp.  The U.S. will provide training in community policing to assist the ISF in promoting engagement, partnership, and problem solving with the camp’s Palestinian residents.  The pledge also includes the provision of additional Dodge Charge police vehicles, police equipment and duty gear for use within Nahr el-Bared as well as the construction of a community-focused police station. 

The U.S. Government has assisted the ISF in its professional development since October 2006.  Chargé Sison commented that the new police cars “will help strengthen the ISF as Lebanon’s professional police force, protecting residents from Halba to Marjayoun and Beirut to Baalbak.”