Australian Federal Police builds capacity in Cambodia

Top: Deputy Commissioner Sok Phal open an AFP-funded Crime Scene Preservation training course in Phnom Penh as AFP's Senior Liaison Officer Gary Wynch and Australian Ambassador Dr. Penny Richards look on.
Bottom: Governor of Kep and members of Australian Federal Police and AusAid celebrate as Gen. Mao Chandara, Deputy Police Commissioner, open Kep Police Post.

Post Staff
Thursday, 26 January 2012
The Phnom Penh Post

A primary function of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) working internationally is to assist in the development of their host nations.

In conjunction with Australian Government partner agencies in Cambodia, the Australian Federal Police over the preceding twelve months has provided extensive training and assistance packages to the Cambodian National Police (CNP).

Here in Cambodia, the Australian Federal Police supports a team of ten Cambodian Police officers to combat transnational crime impacting on Cambodia and other countries, as well as exchanging criminal intelligence applicable to both countries.

In June 2011, the AFP presented six new Honda Dream motorcycles to the Cambodian National Police Transnational Crime Team to assist with daily operational duties.

Since 2007, the Australian Federal Police has provided a full time Adviser to the Cambodian Criminal Justice Assistance Program (CCJAP), an Australian Government initiative running since 1997 and developed by AusAID to support the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Legal and Judicial Reform Strategy.

The Cambodian National Police Scientific and Technical team has worked in partnership with CCJAP to establish a training capacity for crime scene investigation and crime scene preservation.

Training provided to date has developed the skills of more than 1000 CNP officers nation wide, providing them with the capability to respond professionally to crime scenes, conduct examinations, and to assist investigating police.

In 2010, 37 CNP Forensics Officers from six CCJAP partner provinces completed a “train the trainer” program for Crime Scene Investigation and Preservation. Since then, these newly trained Cambodian National Police trainers, under the leadership of the Director of Scientific and Technical Police, Major General Monh Kamsan, have delivered 52 crime scene preservation courses, encompassing 1,583 Cambodian police officers, in four partner provinces.

During November and December 2011, following the previous successes, the Australian Federal Police funded a further five crime scene preservation courses and supplied all associated equipment in Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh. The fifth course will be held in Battambang (including CNP officers from Pailin) early in 2012.

This training has enhanced the ability of the Cambodian National Police to protect its citizens from the scourge of dangerous illegal drugs, people smuggling and people trafficking, child sex offences, money laundering and terrorism as well as cementing the excellent working relationship between the Australian and Cambodian law enforcement agencies.

In addition to this training, AusAID through CCJAP built new Police Posts in Kampot, Kep, Prey Veng, Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom. The Australian Federal Police were pleased to join AusAID in combining the official opening of some of these posts with the delivery of forensic training. This demonstrated Australian Government partnerships and Australia’s commitment to criminal justice reform in Cambodia by contributing to the enhancement of policing services in Cambodia.