A U.S. government report says Iraq's police force has accepted recruits with criminal backgrounds and even insurgents, due to poor screening procedures.
The report based on a study by the inspectors general at the Defense and State Departments was released late Monday.
It says there is sufficient evidence to conclude that terrorists or insurgents have infiltrated the ranks of Iraqi police. It criticizes coalition military personnel for not being able to properly find and screen candidates for the police force.
It says although Iraqi police officers are increasingly visible on the streets, the effort to build up the forces has been a "qualified success."
Pentagon officials say they are addressing most of the concerns raised by the study, which ended in April, and that police recruiting and training have improved since then.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.