SOUTH CHINA
MAY 12
Top priority
given to anti-crime campaign
NXK14/11
MORNING
POST
73
The Governor. Sir Murray MacLehose. last night pledged his full support and personal attention to the biggest campaign yet against the rising number of crimes of violence.
All Government departments will give the campaign top priority and all civil servants will give their personal support, on the Governor's instructions.
Sir Murray also appealed for full co-operation from the public. "In many of the really big things in Hongkong, results can only be achieved by co-operative effort between the Government and the public.
"it is up to the Government to make the arrangements and give the lead, but the public's response and support is essential,” the Governor said.
The Governor's determination in combating the crime wave with the full force of Government machinery was disclosed at a meeting with representatives of the press and community leaders on the eve of the launching of the Fight Violent Crime Campaign. He noted the "indignation, real fear and distress" the 208 per cent increase in violent crime in the past four years has created.
“Some communities may accept an increase in crime as an inevitable complement to prosperity in the latter ball of the 20th century. But our community does not. It rightly demands action. and is ready to play its part.” he said.
"The campaign is to explain to us what that part can be and to cncourage us to perform it for our own safety, and as a civic Aduty **
..
The Governer outlined what had already been done in the preparation for the campaign:
✪ The progressive strengthening of the law.
Construction of detention centres for younger offenders and training of staff.
© Police procedures reviewed and revised.
A rapid access of police strength achieved by a massive recruitment of auxiliaries with magnificent response.
Stepping up of efforts in recruitment and training of the regular police force.
Making a comparison with the Clean Hongkong Campaign. The Governor said the anti-crime campaign would not be so "gimmicky, nor can it be so light-hearted,”
"It is a much more difficult proposition. It will be much less dramatic. Results will be slow, but it is basically even more important," he said.
The common feature of the two was public participation. "Our object can be described as to ease people's minds of growing fear of violence by providing greater understanding of what they can do personally to confront this problem, and by the increased detection and arrest of criminals.” Sir Murray said.
The heart of the campaign will be a major police effort. This will be reinforced by about 2,000 auxiliaries on the streets every night.
On the civilian side, a number of area committees will be set up throughout the Colony,
Their role will be to explain to the public the elementary security precautions, the emphasis of public duty and how help can be given safely to the police when a crime has been
committed.
to
The committees will also try. establish better personal confidence and communication between the police and the public, in which the auxiliaries also have useful role to play.
On Monday, a preliminary effort will be launched to publicise and explain the campaign.
The Governor said he would be writing personally to the heads of Government departments to emphasise the importance of the campaign for the tranquillity of Hongkong.
"If we all work together and keep our minds on what is at stake for our community we stand A good chance of reversing this trend which is today the most worrying aspect of life in Hongkong," he said
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