Ministry drafts law for better management of Nat’l Police

MINISTRY of Interior officials are drafting a law that will establish new formalities and procedures for governing the National Police.

The drafting of the law started last year at the request of interior minister Sar Kheng, spokesperson Phat Sophanit said on Tuesday. But he said he did not have details on the law because it has been changed several times.

Ministry secretaries of state Bun Honn and Chan Ean led t he worki ng g ro up t hat reviewed the draft law two weeks ago.

The working group was working to prepare a draft law but needs to do more study on the procedures and experiences applied by other ASEAN members and Australia, according to the ministry’s website.

Honn said Australia had helped and shared experiences with the working group, but Cambodia needs to look at similar laws in ASEAN countries.

“The draft law about the governing of the National Police has 18 chapters and 90 articles, created to set the formality for governing the National Police in protecting security, social order, life, rights and freedom, public and private properties to serve the interests of the state and the citizens,” the website said.

The ministry said the draft law has the scope to govern all police officials if no other law is made to invalidate this law.

Neither Honn nor Ean could be reached on Tuesday to elaborate on why the draft law is being made now.

Cambodian Institute for Democracy director Pa Chanroeun said on Tuesday that he could not comment on the draft law because has not seen its contents.

“However, I expect that the law on the governing of the national police will be made based on the principle of policing a democratic society.

“This law should become the mechanism for strengthening and extending the performance and quality of the National Police,” Chanroeun said.