PRIORITY
PS 745
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 060926Z
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 1174 OF 6 OCTOBER 1978. HKK 382
FOR MURRAY FROM GOVERNOR.
MIPT.
1. THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE.
68
RECEIVED IN REGIT NO. 51
– 9 OCT 1978
-
DESK OFFICED
INDEX
No
REGOTRY Action
125
WE WERE ALL EXTREMELY CONCERNED AT THE STATE OF THE ROYAL HONG
KONG POLICE FORCE FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF LAST OCTOBER/NOVEMBER.
THOUGH GENERAL RESENTMENT AT ICAC OPERATIONS, AND THE FEAR OF A GROUP OF PROSECUTION FOR PAST OFFENCES, WERE THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY MORE TO IT THAN THAT.
AT MY REQUEST THE HOME OFFICE MADE AVAILABLE A MOST EXPERIENCED
TEAM LED BY MR CRANE, ONE OF HM INSPECTORS OF CONSTABULARY, AND A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF POLICE FOLLOWED CONDUCTED JOINTLY WITH THE COMMISSIONER AND HIS STAFF AND THE SECURITY BRANCH OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT. IN BROAD TERMS THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT PROFESSIONALLY THE FORCE WAS WORKING ON THE RIGHT LINES: BUT THAT INTENSE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND THE RAPID EXPANSION, REDEPLOYMENT AND REORGANISATION OF THE FORCE IN RECENT
YEARS TO COMBAT CRIME, HAS HAD A DOUBLE-EDGED EFFECT. SUCCESS AGAINST CRIME, AND IN ACHIEVING AN IMPROVED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
PUBLIC, HAS BEEN REMARKABLE. BUT IT HAS BEEN TO SOME EXTENT AT THE EXPENSE OF NOT ONLY DISCIPLINE AND CONTROL, BUT ALSO OF ADMINISTRATION, MAN-MANAGEMENT, PERSONNEL RELATIONS AND WELFARE
SIMULTANEOUSLY SUBJECTED TO THE TWIN PRESSURES OF COMBATTING A CRIME
WAVE AND THE WEEDING OUT OF CORRUPTION, THE FORCE, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HINDSIGHT, WAS SOMEWHAT OVERDRIVEN AND UNDER-ADMINIST~
ERED.
JOINT RECOMMENDATIONS WERE AGREED AND ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN STRE. TH-
ENING AND REORGANISING THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS STRUCTURE ANL ALSO
IN IMPROVING IN-SERVICE TRAINING, STAFF RELATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS,
¡
THE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE, AND IN OPERATIONAL
DEPLOYMENT AND EFFICIENCY.
RESTRICTED
/THE