SECRET
XCS(73)10
Anti-Corruption Commission
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7 (a) The Commissioner did not feel able to make a firm
recommendation as to whether or not the Anti-Corruption Office should be separated from the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. He reviews the history of the matter in paragraphs 218-230. The arguments for and against separation are fully and fairly set out in paragraphs 231- 236 and it is not proposed to repeat them in this paper. At paragraph 237, the Commissioner recognises the strength of the public demand for separation and comments "it is difficult to see how this demand can be resisted any longer provided the organisational problems involved can be solved".
(b) Honourable Members have already advised that a new
"Anti-Corruption Commission", separate from the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, should be established. Initial staffing of the Commission will include a civilian as Commissioner, a Director of Operations, and two Assistant Directors.
(c) In the light of this advice, steps are being taken to establish the new Commission as soon as practicable, though it is unlikely that it could be in operation before February 1974. As Council is aware, a suitable Director of Operations is in the process of being engaged, and his first task will be to recommend what the structure and staffing of the new Commission should be, although it will have to rely largely on seconded police officers for some time.
(d) The Commissioner recommends that the Advisory Committee
on Corruption should be dissolved.
(e) It is suggested that the future of the Target Committee,
under the new Commission, should not be decided until the new Commissioner and Director have been appointed and have had an opportunity to consider the matter.
Miscellaneous
8 (a) Fugitive Offenders Act 1967
The Commissioner proposes that the Secretary of State should be advised that it is desirable to amend section 3(1)(c) of the Act in order to restrict its application to designated Commonwealth countries or to provide that it shall not apply in the case of offences under colonial legislation or that it shall not apply to Hong Kong (paragraphs 209-215).
SECRET