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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1975.
VIOLENT CRIME SHOWS SIGNS OF LEVELLING OFF
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THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING EVERY POSITIVE ACTION TO FIGHT CRIME AND THERE ARE SIGNS THAT SERIOUS CRIME SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR ARE LEVELLING OFF, THE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. MICHAEL CLINTON, SAID TODAY. SO FAR THIS YEAR, HE SAID, SERIOUS CRIME HAD GONE UP BY ONLY 1.1 PER CENT COMPARED WITH AN INCREASE OF 40 PER CENT IN 1974 OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S FIGURE.
HE BELIEVED THAT THE DECREASING TREND IN SERIOUS CRIME REFLICTED THE INTENSIVE EFFORTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE BY THE POLICE AS WELL A GREATER PUBLIC CO-OPERATION.
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HE STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME, ESPECIALLY VIOLENT CRIME, WAS STILL FAR TOO HIGH AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS VERY CONCERNED TO BRING IT DOWN.
MR. CLINTON SAID THE POLICE WERE CONSTANTLY TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE THEIR TECHNIQUES, PROCEDURES AND ORGANISATION, TO REDUCI CRIME. THESE INCLUDED THE RE-ORGANISATION AND STRENGTHENING OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT, THE INTRODUCTION OF NEIGHBOUR..OOD POLICING UNITS AND THE TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR ROUTINE WORK TO TRAFFIC VARDEMS AND CIVILIANS.
IN ADDITION, MR. CLINTON SAID, MORE REPORTING CENTRES WERE BEING SET UP ESPECIALLY IN HOUSING ESTATES AND THE REPULTING PROCEDURES HAD LEEN SIMPLIFIED TO ENALLE THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CRIME MORE EASILY.
ON THE STAFF SIDE, HE SAID THAT DESPITE THE PRESENT FINANCIAL .STRINGENCY, THE POLICE HAD BEEN GIVEN PRIORITY TO BRING THE IK
ESTABLISHMENT UP TO STRENGTH.
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HE NOTED THAT THE FORCE'S ACTUAL STRENGTH HAD INCREASED FROM 15,887 IN AUGUST LAST YEAR TO 17,512 THIS NONTIL INCREASE OF 10 PER CENT, OR ALOUT 91.2 PER CENT OF THE ATHORISEI ISTALI ĮSHMENT.
+BUT THE FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENT CRIME IN HONG KONG ON ANYWHERE ELSE CAN NEVIR SUCCEED WITHOUT THE FULL CO-OPER. TION OF THE PUBLIC,+ HE STRESSED.
MR. CLINTON NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO INCREASE TIE NUNDER OF MUTUAL AID AND AREA COM.IITTLES FROM THE PRESEN. 1,630 TO 2,240 VITHIN THE NEXT NINE TO 12 MONTHS.
THESE COMMITTEES SERVED A MOST USEFUL PURPOSE IN IN. ROVING COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN NETGODOUKS VİT.. ME AIN OF STRENGTHENING AINI CAME HEASURES, HE SAID,
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