All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to release the information.
An academy employee said recruits had just finished a two-week training course. Generally, the recruits are escorted out of the compound, but are on their own once they get to the street.
Police recruits have been attacked time and time again in spectacular attacks where suicide bombers have infiltrated protection barriers and other checkpoints.
Iraq’s police are generally considered to be the weakest element of the country’s security forces. In October, 25 people across Baghdad were killed in a string of attacks that included two bombers slamming explosives-packed cars into police stations.
Sunday’s attack also shows anew extremists’ ability to pull off attacks despite government crackdowns and fewer resources. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, but suicide attacks are a hallmark of al-Qaida.
Last week, Iraqi and U.S. officials acknowledged that al-Qaida remains a threat to the country’s security.
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