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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1978
WORK OF UMELCO POLICE GROUP PRAISED
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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, TODAY PAID TRIBUTE TO THE WORK OF THE UMELCO POLICE GROUP APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR ONE YEAR AGO TO MONITOR POLICE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON, MR. DAVIES SAID: +THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS ITS APPRECIATION OF THE VALUABLE AND NECESSARY SERVICE, TO BOTH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE, PERFORMED BY THE GROUP.+
MR. DAVIES POINTED OUT THAT THE GROUP UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SIR SIDNEY GORDON, HAD PROVIDED A USEFUL FORUM IN WHICH AN
INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION CAN BE MADE OF THE OUTCOME OF POLICE ENQUIRIES INTO INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS.
+AS SUCH IT IS MOST WELCOME AND GIVES GROUNDS "FOR CONFIDENCE TO THE PUBLIC THAT COMPLAINTS ARE EXAMINED IN DEPTH AND IN DETAIL,+ HE STRESSED.
HE ALSO SAID THAT AN IMPORTANT FACTOR WHICH HAD EMERGED FROM THIS NEW SCHEME WAS THE PROTECTION WHICH THE THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF COMPLAINTS OFFERED POLICE OFFICERS FROM MALICIOUS AND UNJUSTIFIED COMPLAINTS.
SINCE THE SYSTEM CAME INTO EFFECT THERE HAD BEEN TWO PROSECUTIONS FOR MAKING FALSE COMPLAINTS AND SIX FURTHER CASES ARE PENDING, HE SAID.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THE GROUP ALSO INSTITUTED A SYSTEM WHEREBY A FURTHER CHECK OF CASES WAS UNDERTAKEN BY THE UMELCO STAFF.
MOST OF THESE CHECKS FOLLOWED COMPLAINTS OF A FRAME-UP, OF PLANTING OF EVIDENCE OR OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF A COMPLAINT.
COMMENTING ON THE NEED MENTIONED BY THE UMELCO POLICE GROUP'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL STAFF TO THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE OFFICE, MR. DAVIES SAID SUITABLY EXPERIENCE OFFICERS ARE BEING DEPLOYED TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSTS IN THE DISCIPLINE AND COMPLAINTS WING OF THE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT BRANCH OF POLICE HEADQUARTERS AFTER THESE POSTS WERE APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
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