The Afghan Local Police (ALP) was a US-UK sponsored local law enforcement agency, defence force and militia in Afghanistan as part of the Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs. Formed primarily as a local defence force against Taliban insurgents, its members had no power of arrest and were only authorised to investigate crime if requested to do so by the Afghan National Police (ANP).
The ALP was established at the request of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Summer 2010 and is paid for by the United States. Officers underwent three weeks military and police training by ISAF personnel and receive weapons and a uniform. They are intended to defend their villages from insurgent attack and allow the ANP to focus on offensive operations. It was originally intended to function for between two and five years.
