Special agents of a US navy investigation unit completed a course on forensic techniques for national and military police Friday, in an exercise of continued US aid to Cambodian law enforcement.
Police were instructed in forensic science and crime scene processing by members of the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service. They were taught to examine various types of evidence and to handle crime scenes, officials said.
"Hopefully, we are learning how to identify evidence at the crime scene as well as how to process or develop and then to preserve it, so that the evidence can be used in the court room," said NCIS trainer Kiyomi Griffrey.
The US was leaving behind equipment to help the police use what they learned, she said.
The training will help Cambodia build a team of technical experts who can investigate whether a crime was individual and vindictive or an act of terrorism, said Lt. General Kim Nean, an assistant to Prime Minister Hun Sen and member of the National Counter Terrorism Committee.
Other participants said they were happy for the training but concerned they would not have enough equipment for operations in the future.
