It was the deadliest attack in Iraq since January 27, when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed car outside a hospital in the Iraqi capital, killing 31 people.
Violence in Iraq is down from its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common, killing 151 people in January.
Police said the suicide bomber was waiting on the street outside the fortified academy near the Interior Ministry headquarters in the east of the Iraqi capital. As the crowd of recruits exited the compound's security barriers in the early afternoon and walked into the road, police said the bomber drove toward them and blew up his car.
All of the dead were either police officers or recruits. Another 27 recruits and policemen were wounded.
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.
A  in the Iraqi capital Baghdad yesterday has killed at least eighteen people, all of whom were either police officers or cadets.  has cited the death toll as nineteen. At least 26 injuries have also been reported as a result of the incident.

According to police, the perpetrator detonated his car as police recruits exited the security barriers of a compound in the north-east of the city. A policeman informed '''' of sighting "body parts scattered on the ground and boots and berets covered with blood" at the scene, as well as various vehicles burning.

As of yet, no group has accepted responsibility for the suicide bombing. However, Al-Qaeda characteristically uses attacks of this nature, according to ''''.

This attack is reportedly the deadliest in the country since 31 individuals were killed on January 27 as the result of a suicide bomb attack outside a Baghdad hospital, in which a vehicle filled with explosives was detonated.