In an interview with The Canberra Times, Colonel Graeme Finney, the deputy director of Future Operations - Stability with the ISAF Joint Command, said there were about 13,000 active police working in Afghanistan, but ranks were soon expected to swell to 30,000.

''There were attacks in Kabul - two in the last couple of weeks and you see the way the Afghan National Security Forces have reacted to those criminal events and the way they were able to resolve those issues without support from the coalition forces. It tells you a lot about their ability to lead operations and secure their country to deal with these criminal elements,'' he said.

''These are some of the good news stories that don't emanate across.''

Colonel Finney said there was a keen sentiment within Afghanistan for the nation to be able to hold its own.

''There is a maturing capability and a strong desire by the Afghanistan government to be able to lead these types of operations.

''There is a strong feeling that the Afghan National Security Forces are continuing to develop both by the numbers and the capability.''

Colonel Finney, who is from Canberra, said the local police force was being supported within the community.

''I have had to go into some of the provinces and you look at some of the police officers there and they have been raised in the local community,'' he said.

''It's local people doing local policing, well accepted by the community in providing a really positive service and a security service to that community.''

Colonel Finney said that there were many people undergoing police training and more identified to be trained to take up the roles in the future.

Colonel Finney said Australians could take pride in the way its Defence forces had handled themselves in Afghanistan.

''It's a hard environment. A whole bunch of Australian soldiers are doing it tough and I think the Australian public should be very proud of the work they are doing,'' he said.