Kurdistan Region launches police reform strategy for 2026-2030

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Interior said Tuesday that a reform and development plan for the regional police force has entered the implementation phase, shifting the force from a power-based policing model to one built on trust and public service. The ministry said the strategy was prepared under the government program of the ninth cabinet and directs Interior Minister Reber Ahmed. A meeting at the ministry reviewed the implementation steps of the Kurdistan National Police Reform Strategy 2026-2030, which aims to restructure the security institution, upgrade police training facilities, and place citizens as the central partner in protection efforts. The ministry said more than 1,000 officers and personnel have already been trained for the new phase. The four-year plan is intended to produce a measurable change in how residents interact with law enforcement. A three-day workshop in Erbil, scheduled for later this month with the support of a European Union advisory mission, will bring together police and security officials from the region's provinces and independent administrations along with EU experts.