Municipal police officers opened road traffic training classes in Phnom Penh on Monday, with 837 officers from 14 police departments participating to improve their abilities. The classes will continue until June 29.

Phnom Penh Municipal Deputy Police Chief Chev Hak, said there are 10 training sessions with each lasting five days.

The training is designed to improve the ability of traffic road officers and is aimed at showing practical procedures and techniques from expert officers who have studied at the police school.

“This training is conducted by professionals, which means they have already been trained at the police school. They will show work experiences, including solutions and challenges related to the area of road traffic.”

Tuol Kork district Police Chief Sok Heng said two of his officers joined the training to gain experience from seniors and professional trainers specialised in traffic road procedures.

In terms of the lessons and courses related to the training, he said he was not aware of what would be taught, but he wanted his officers to increase their expertise and specific skills in performing their work better.

“I supported them in joining this training so that they can learn better skills from professional trainers. We need authorities who have specific skills and ethics to perform their work well,” he said.

AIP Foundation country director Kim Pagna said on March 6 that he supported training for road traffic officers which is related to a new government sub-decree on increasing traffic fines.

He encouraged the trainers to explain the law to citizens besides just fining them. There were also some messages related to educating officers to understand the law, he added.

“I want them to focus on the police when implementing the law to avoid causing any abnormal problems for citizens. Therefore, the training should include strategies that solve and explain problems to offenders,” Pagna said.

According to a report from the Traffic Police and Public Order Department of the National Police on Monday, as a result of its operation from January to March, police stopped and fined 131,853 vehicles, including 82,865 motorbikes.