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PUBLIC ORDER
Territories and these attracted over 40,000 visitors. For the second year running a series of six summer camps were held for secondary school boys who took part in outdoor activities on Outward Bound lines.
To keep pace with the increasing operational requirements of the force, a reorganisation and expansion of the Planning and Research Division was undertaken. Planning continued for more police stations to meet the increase in population in several areas. A new police station was opened at Aberdeen in September and construction of a new 20-storey block for Police Headquarters began. Work progressed on plans for divisional stations at North Point, Cheung Sha Wan, Frontier and Kwai Chung and for sub- divisional stations at Ngau Tau Kok, Tsz Wan Shan, Shing Wo Road and Chai Wan as well as for various less important projects. Plans for the expansion of the Traffic Branch, CID Marine Police and the Police Dog Unit were under consideration at the end of the year and the expansion of the Police Tactical Unit was approved. A new base for the unit and a new headquarters for the New Territories were in the advanced planning stage at the end of the
year.
CRIME
During the first eight months of the year crime statistics showed a slight increase on the year 1968. The increase occurred mainly in preventive arrests for crimes such as loitering and possession of unlawful instruments and was a clear indication of greater police effort and success in the field of watch and ward. On the other hand the offences of miscellaneous larcenies and larcenies from the person showed welcome decreases of six per cent and 11.8 per cent respectively and the detection rate increased slightly over the preced- ing year being 76.6 per cent as compared with 75.6 per cent in 1968.
Increases were recorded in robberies and in July-August there was a spate of carefully executed robberies in Kowloon of banks, gold- shops and security personnel escorting cash. However, arrests were made in the majority of these within two months of their being committed. There was a slight increase in the number of prosecu- tions involving young persons (16 years to 20 years) and a fairly appreciable increase involving juveniles (under 16 years). The former increased by 21.2 per cent and the latter by 26.5 per cent.