10 -
In particular administration, chain of command, calibre
of officer, and officer/other ranks relationships, and
discipline, were in part probably sacrificed to the
objectives of expansion, retraining and redeploying.
the Force came under pressure from the ICAC these weaknesses
provided fertile ground in which resentment could breed
As
and spread unchecked. The demonstrations by the Police in
October/November which started as legitimate industrial
action but eventually developed into a situation of
considerable danger, resulted from all these factors.
But it was precipitated by an increase in ICAC pressure
which with the wisdom of hindsight was probably so
sharp as to be imprudent, and for which I take full
responsibility.
The break came with remarkable speed
(and the fact that it was unexpected was itself indicative
of weakness in the Force's chain of command and man-
management). Rapid and unpalatable action was necessary
to restore calm and avert a breakdown in law and order,
and this took the form of a partial, though only partial,
amnesty over corruption cases. The impact of this
concession because concession it was - was blurred
through the folly of the leaders of the Police in
rejecting its partial nature and threatening progressive
non-enforcement of the law until a total amnesty was
granted. Until that point public opinion had been
ambivalent, but against such an outrageous demand it was
possible to organise a public reaction so strong that
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