WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1981
10
POLICE RESPONDING EFFECTIVELY TO NEW CONDITIONS
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THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE IS RESPONDING EFFECTIVELY AND IMAGINATIVELY TO THE NEW CONDITIONS AND NEW SPREAD OF POPULATION IN HONG KONG, AS WELL AS TO THE NEW TYPES OF CRIME THAT CONFRONT IT.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, IN HIS REVIEW OF THE POLICE FORCE.
SIR MURRAY SAID THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE HAD CONTINUED ABOUT ITS BUSINESS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAD SHOULDERED THE ADDITIONAL BURDENS IMPOSED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
+ IT HAS PERFORMED THESE TASKS WELL, OFTEN WITH ALL TOO LITTLE PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF ITS ACHIEVEMENT,+ HE SAID.
WHILST REPORTING THAT OVERALL CRIME HAD BEEN HELD, AND ROBBERY REDUCED FROM 30 REPORTS A DAY IN 1979 TO 24 AT PRESENT, THE GOVERNOR ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE DISTURBING INCREASE IN THE USE OF FIREARMS OR IMITATION FIREARMS HAD CONTINUED, AND THE POLICE HAD FOUGHT SOME BRAVE ACTIONS WITH ARMED ROBBERS.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, DUE TO POLICE CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES AND ELEMENTARY ARRANGEMENTS FOR SELF-PROTECTION, BANK AND GOLDSMITH ROBBERIES HAD DECREASED,
SIR MURRAY SAID ALTHOUGH 10 PER CENT OF ARRESTS HAD BEEN FOUND TO BE RECENT IMMIGRANTS, MOSTLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AS WERE OVER 62 PER CENT OF THOSE ARRESTED FOR ARMED ROBBERY, THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT BE ALARMED BY THESE FIGURES INTO BELIEVING THAT ALL IMMIGRANTS WERE CRIMINALS.
+OF COURSE THESE FIGURES RELATE ONLY TO A TINY MINORITY. NEVERTHELESS WE MUST FACE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NOW SUCH A MINORITY UNABLE EITHER TO INTEGRATE IN GUANGDONG OR ASSIMILATE IN HONG KONG.
+ I SHOULD HOPE THAT THIS IS A TRANSITIONAL PHENOMENON BUT IT NEEDS CAREFUL WATCHING, HE ADDED.
THE INCREASE IN JUVENILE CRIME WHICH BEGAN IN 1979, SIR MURRAY SAID, CONTINUED. THE FIGURES ARE SMALL BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS BÚT WE IGNORE THE TREND AT OUR PERIL, HE ADDED.
ON POLICE WELFARE, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE FORCE, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF HOME O ICE INSPECTORS, HAD PUT A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT AND THOUGHT INTO PLANNING BETTER HOUSEKEEPING AND WELFARE FOR ITS MEN AND ETTER DEPLOYMENT OF ITS RESOURCES,
+ IN OUR CONCERN TO EXPAND AND ADAPT THE FORCE TO MEET THE NEEDS CF MODERN HONG KONG, I AM SURE THAT WE HAVE PAID TOO LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE O KING AND LIVING CONDITIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE FORCE, AND THERE IS NOW SUBSTINAL BACKLOG TO BE TACKLED,+ SIR MURRAY ALLES.
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