13
Wednesday, January 7, 1976
CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM UNDER CONSTANT REVIEV
The Commissioner of Police will continue to keep under r.vicu
the system of reporting and recording crino with a view to reducing
to the minimun the time spent by members of the public in making reports.
The Secretary for Security, the Hen, Lewis Davics, said this in
the Legislative Council today in reply to the Hon. Hilton Cheong-leen's question
on the simplification of the crine reporting system,
Mr. Davies said that the system had been simplified and improved
in a number of ways since 1973.
The improvements include provision of separate facilities in nost
urban police st..tions for members of the public making reperts, n
strccalining of actual reporting and recording procedures and an increase
in the number of places where a report can be andc.
As for simplification of procedures, Mr. Davies anid that in the
case of a minor crine, basic essential det-ils were recorded directly into
a proform, and into the investigator's notebook, thereby elimin-ting the
lengthy process of taking statements vorbatin. However, the taking of
statomunt uns still required in cases of a more serious nature, he addud.
Nr. Davi...o szid: "Though the system of reporting and recording
crime is under continurl review, there is a limit to the extent to which
the systou can be further simplified."
"The primary purpose of reporting crine is to enable the criminal
t be identified and brought to court," he said. "Conscquently it is
csscntil that the Police obtain all the relevant facts tb oncble 1
successful prosecution to take place."
He said that to schiave this goal, a degree of inconvenience to
the public is inevitable".
Mr. Davies