By Thet Sambath
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The Documentation Center of Cambodia on Monday began training Ministry of Interior police officers in methods for investigating the crimes of the Khmer Rouge regime and interviewing victims and suspects, officials said.
Twelve police officers designated to work with the prosecutors and judges at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia are being trained, DC-Cam response team leader Sour Bunsou said. "They are being trained on how to investigate, how to interview victims and suspects and how to examine graves," he said. "They have to cooperate with prosecutors when prosecutors need them," Sour Bunsou said.
He added that police reports will be necessary for the tribunal.
"When anyone commits a crime and is a suspect, prosecutors need police to help make reports for them and to investigate," he said.
The officers are being given training by a former US police officer from the city of Seattle and a British legal expert from London, he said.
If the pilot project is successful, police in other provinces will receive similar training.
Mao Chandara, deputy national police commissioner and the security chief for the ECCC, said that the officers will follow the orders of the prosecutors and judges.
Thun Saray, director of local rights group Adhoc, said the ECCC should be careful to include international investigators and judicial officials on its fact-finding missions, and not just members of the Cambodian police.
"If there are foreigners with [the police] it will help to encourage victims, witnesses and suspects," he said. "If we had confidence in the Cambodian courts, we would not need foreign prosecutors and judges. It is the same with the Cambodian police."
Ministry of Interior Secretary of State Em Sam An dismissed Thun Saray’s concerns, adding that Cambodian police are of upright moral character.
Twelve police officers designated to work with the prosecutors and judges at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia are being trained, DC-Cam response team leader Sour Bunsou said. "They are being trained on how to investigate, how to interview victims and suspects and how to examine graves," he said. "They have to cooperate with prosecutors when prosecutors need them," Sour Bunsou said.
He added that police reports will be necessary for the tribunal.
"When anyone commits a crime and is a suspect, prosecutors need police to help make reports for them and to investigate," he said.
The officers are being given training by a former US police officer from the city of Seattle and a British legal expert from London, he said.
If the pilot project is successful, police in other provinces will receive similar training.
Mao Chandara, deputy national police commissioner and the security chief for the ECCC, said that the officers will follow the orders of the prosecutors and judges.
Thun Saray, director of local rights group Adhoc, said the ECCC should be careful to include international investigators and judicial officials on its fact-finding missions, and not just members of the Cambodian police.
"If there are foreigners with [the police] it will help to encourage victims, witnesses and suspects," he said. "If we had confidence in the Cambodian courts, we would not need foreign prosecutors and judges. It is the same with the Cambodian police."
Ministry of Interior Secretary of State Em Sam An dismissed Thun Saray’s concerns, adding that Cambodian police are of upright moral character.
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