WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1979
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GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO REPORT CRIME
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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CRIME TO THE POLICE.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR. THE HON. HO KAM-FAI,
MR. DAVIES SAID, APART FROM SIMPLIFYING REPORTING PROCEDURES, THERE WAS A SUSTAINED PROGRAMME AIMED AT SECURING INCREASED PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE AND THERE WERE STEPS AIMED DIRECTLY AT ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CRIME.
MR. DAVIES POINTED OUT THIS WAS REFLECTED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICERS IN EACH DIVISION, THE JUNIOR POLICE CALL SCHEME, THE GOOD CITIZEN AWARD SCHEME, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE UNITS, LOCAL ANTI-CRIME FUNCTIONS ORGANISED BY MAC, DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES AND POLICE INVOLVEMENT IN A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS.
FURTHERMORE, HE SAID, ACTUAL STEPS TAKEN TO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO REPORT CRIME INCLUDED:
* WIDE RANGING PUBLICITY INCLUDING A SPECIAL TV SERIES,
POSTERS, AND A FORTHCOMING +COMMUNITY AGAINST CRIME+ CAMPAIGN-
* IMPROVED TECHNIQUES AND FACILITIES SUCH AS THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICE REPORTING CENTRES, HOTLINES+ FOR REPORTING CRIME AND THE EXPANSION OF THE BEAT RADIO SCHEME TO COVER WIDER AREAS-
* NEW DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS A SCHEME WHEREBY MINOR CRIMES CAN BE INVESTIGATED BY UNIFORMED CONSTABLES AND AN EXPERIMENT WHEREBY CRIMES MAY ALSO BE REPORTED BY POSTAGE-PAID LETTER- AND
* THE EXPANSION OF THE CRIME PREVENTION BUREAU.
IN ADDITION, A CRIME VICTIMISATION SURVEY HAS RECENTLY BEEN CONDUCTED IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEFINE THE NATURE AND LEVEL OF CRIME AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT IS REPORTED.
+THE SURVEY PROVIDES A BASELINE AGAINST WHICH TO MEASURE FLUCTUATIONS IN FUTURE LEVELS OF CRIME AND REPORTING BEHAVIOUR. IT IS ALSO OF ASSISTANCE TO THE POLICE IN DEPLOYING THEIR MANPOWER TO THE BEST EFFECT, MR. DAVIES SAID.
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