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500 CHINESE OFFICERS, GAVE SUPPORT TO THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE AND EXTENDED THE SCOPE OF THE ORIGINAL REQUESTS CONTAINED IN THE PETITION TO INCLUDE AN AMNESTY FROM CURRENT ICAC PROSECUTIONS AND FROM INVESTIGATION FOR PAST CORRUPTION.
6. BY 5 NOVEMBER SUPPORT FOR DEMANDS FOR AN AMNESTY WAS
WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT THE FORCE AND IT APPEARED LIKELY THAT POLICE OPERATIONS WOULD BE PREJUDICED. THE ASSESSMENT OF SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS WAS THAT FEELINGS WERE RUNNING SO HIGH THAT, IF IT SHOULD BE NECESSARY TO ORDER MEMBERS OF THE FORCE TO TAKE
PHYSICAL ACTION AGAINST THE LEADING FIGURES IN THE PROTESTS, THEIR RELIABILITY WAS QUESTIONABLE.
7. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, A MEETING OF THE GOVERNORS SECURITY COMMITTEE WAS HELD ON THE AFTERNOON OF 5 NOVEMBER 1977 WHEN THE
FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS WERE REACHED:-
1) MEASURES ALREADY TAKEN TO DEFUSE THE SITUATION HAD NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. SUPPORT FOR THE DISSIDENTS HAD SPREAD R
(11) POLICE RANK AND FILE, INSPECTORATE AND SOME MORE SENIOR OFFICERS HAD SUPPORTED THE DEMAND FOR AN AMNESTY:
111) THE ABILITY OF SENIOR OFFICERS TO CONTROL RANK AND FILE WAS
IN DOUBT *
(IV) THERE WAS RESENTMENT AGAINST THE TREATMENT WHICH THE POLICE FORCE BELIEVED IT HAD SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF ICAC. THIS RESENTMENT WAS FELT NOT ONLY BY THOSE FEARFUL OF INVESTIGATION BY ICAC BUT THROUGHOUT THE FORCE:
(V) IT APPEARED PROBABLE THAT, ALTHOUGH ORDINARY POLICE ACTION AGAINST CRIME WOULD BE CONTINUED, THERE MIGHT BE A REDUCTION OF ACTION AGAINST SOME CRIMES SUCH AS HAWKING AND MINOR TRAFFIC
OFFENCES:
(VI) THERE WAS A REAL POSSIBILITY OF FURTHER PROTEST MEETINGS ANDD MASS MARCHES. IF IT WERE TO BE DECIDED TO TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT THIS, THERE WAS DOUBT ABOUT THE RESPONSE OF THE FORCE.
(VII) ASSURANCES AND CONCESSIONS MADE SO FAR HAD HAD NO EFFECT ON THE MOOD OF THE FORCE, AND
(VIII) THE LONGER FURTHER ACTION WAS DELAYED BY GOVERNMENT, THE GREATER WOULD BE THE RISK OF THE FORCE'S DISCONTENT BECOMING UNCONTROLLABLE AND A THREAT TO SECURITY.
4.
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8.