Ramallah, 23rd May 2010 - EUPOL COPPS officials are delivering a 2 days training programme on the use of Breathlyzers (alcoholmeter device) and on Vehicle Stop to 30 Palestinian Traffic Police Officers from all district offices in the West Bank on 23rd and 24th May.
The purpose of this training is to support the Traffic Police to better monitor the traffic situation and to reduce the accidents caused by alcohol consumption. This is the second time in the West Bank that the Traffic Police is receiving a course on the use and handling of the breathalyzer that includes practical exercises on how to stop a vehicle (unknown risk) and implement the sobriety test.
The training course is funded by EUPOL COPPS and conducted by Ms Satu KOIVU, Police Training Adviser and Mr Joerg JANSEN, Command and Control Expert.
According to the 2009 Palestinian Civil Police Report presented last January by Brigadier Yousef OZREIL, 4671 traffic accidents occurred in 2009. This training will enable the police to better monitor traffic surveillance and to improve the traffic safety. The use of these machines is a new police technique in the Palestinian Territories.
On the training, Mr JANSEN 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 reduce traffic accidents conducted by drivers driving under the influence of alcohol”.
