The National Police has hired more than 4,500 new officials into its ranks, according to a sub-decree dated Wednesday.
“There have been 4,536 police officials hired, as the ministry needs them to do necessary work in national security and to ensure public order and the safety of society,” stated the sub-decree, which was signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The number of new recruits is significantly higher than last year, when only 1,207 were hired. Last year, Interior Minister Sar Kheng called for 30 to 40 percent of all new police recruits to be women in an effort to raise the percentage of female National Police officers up from 5 percent.
Contacted on Thursday, however, National Police spokesman Kirth Chantharith said he was unsure how many women had been hired in the latest intake of officers.
“We don’t know yet how many are women, but we hope there are many, because it is easier when questioning or checking a woman’s body,” Mr. Chantharith said.
“But the problem of women police is that after they have a family, they have no focus on work, only on the family.”
