A delegation of ten Iraqi women police officers have arrived in the United States for a three-week training, the first all-female contingent to participate in the U.S. State Department's Iraq Police Education Program (IPEP).

After meeting the group, Ambassador William R. Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) praised the Iraqi Interior Ministry for efforts to mainstream female officers by providing advanced training and to prepare them for leadership roles.

The officers represent a cross-section of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, including criminal investigation, domestic violence, and training units. Working with police forces in Michigan and Maryland, they will partner with American officers in classroom and "on the job" settings, and gain exposure to American culture.

Specialized training will focus on criminal investigation, forensics, and crime scene processing, while emphasizing techniques for countering violence against women. Leadership and management training will provide the tools for career advancement, the State Department said in a press release.

IPEP is managed by the International Association of the Chiefs of Police and its partner police departments and funded under an INL grant. The five-year, $8 million grant has facilitated training for more than 100 Iraqi police officers since the program's inception in 2010.