RAMALLAH, January 29, 2010 (WAFA)- This week in Ramallah 22 Palestinian Traffic Police officers attended a course on the handling and use of the Laser instrument system TRU SPEED LTI 20/20. The purpose of this training was to support the Traffic Police Officers in enforcing the traffic speed regulations. Five machines were distributed.
According to the 2009 Palestinian Civil Police Report, presented this week by Brigadier Yousef Izreel, there were 4671 traffic accidents in 2009, which underscores the importance of the new devices.
The training will enable the police to better monitor traffic speed and reduce the accidents caused by excessive speed. The use of these machines is a new police technique in the Palestinian Territories.
These machines are part of the Italian commitment to the Palestinian Traffic and Tourist Police stated in 2008-2009. To date Italy has invested $ 1.8 M in vehicles, training and equipment for the traffic police.
The course was coordinated by Eupol Copps Field Advisers Mr Lars Ekstrom and Mr Kent Viding and took place at the Judicial Police HQs in Al Bireh, Ramallah.
On the training, Mr Ekstrom said that “these machines are used by Police Forces around the world. It is an honor for us to introduce them in the Palestinian Territories because they will give the opportunity to the PCP to enforce the speed regulations and to reduce traffic accidents.”
In a separate event, Ombudsman of the French Republic, Mr Jean-Paul Delevoye, , visited Eupol Copps HQs in Ramallah on January 25th. He was given a presentation on the history and on-going work of the various sections in the mission and the milestones achieved in 2009.
Eupol Copps also coordinated a visit to the Ramallah prison for the French mediator. This visit was an excellent opportunity to introduce Mr Delevoye to the Eupol Copps’ advisory role to the Palestinian Civil Police and the Criminal Justice Sector.
This mission is an expression of the importance that the EU attaches to the principles of the Rule of Law within the Security Sector Reform.
