MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1984
''THE APPROACH HAS BEEN TO EXPAND COMMUNITY LIAISON WORK AND, AT THE SAME TIME, PROVIDE A MORE EVEN-HANDED AND VISIBLE POLICE PRESENCE IN AREAS AND AT TIMES WHEN IT IS MOST NEEDED,'' MR HENRY ADDED.
OTHER TASKS UNDERTAKEN BY THE FORCE WERE THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL AND IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT BRANCH WHICH WAS SPLIT INTO ITS TWO COMPONENT PARTS OF COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY.
ON HIGH TECHNOLOGY, CONSULTANTS WERE APPOINTED TO CONDUCT A SYSTEM SPECIFICATION STUDY FOR A SOPHISTICATED REPLACEMENT FOR THE EXISTING BUT RATHER BASIC COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH WILL REACH THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE LATER THIS DECADE.
MR HENRY ALSO NOTED THAT THE POLICE OPERATIONAL NOMINAL INDEX COMPUTER SYSTEM (PONICS) HAS PROVED A MOST SUCCESSFUL AID TO OPERATIONAL POLICE OFFICERS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME.
THE SYSTEM, COMMISSIONED LAST AUGUST, IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH 44 TERMINALS.
ON THE ANTI-CRIME FRONT, THE YEAR'S PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN CONTINUED TO BE AIMED AT LOWERING THE INCIDENCE OF JUVENILE CRIME, POLICE EFFORT HAS STARTED TO PAY OFF IN THE FORM OF A SIX PER CENT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF YOUTHS INVOLVED IN CRIME.
OVERALL CRIME IN 1983 SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE OF TWO PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR BUT ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES WENT DOWN BY 2.8 PER CENT AND 1.9 PER CENT.
ON DRUG ACTIVITIES, THE THIRD SUCCESSIVE YEAR OF BUMPER OPIUM HARVEST IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE RESULTED IN INCREASING QUANTITIES OF ILLICIT NARCOTICS BEING IMPORTED INTO HONG KONG FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.
"IT IS, HOWEVER, PLEASING TO NOTE THAT DURING THE YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-NARCOTICS AGENTS HAVE MAINTAINED AND REINFORCED THE IR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE BARRIER AGAINST THE SMUGGLING OF DANGEROUS DRUGS AND THE TOTAL SEIZURE WAS A RECORD-BREAKING 730 KG,** MR HENRY REPORTED.
TURNING TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA, MR HENRY WELCOMED A DOWNWARD TREND IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS INTERCEPTED AND IN CHILDREN BEING SMUGGLED INTO HONG KONG BY SNAKEHEADS.
HE ATTRIBUTED THIS DEVELOPMENT TO THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPUTERISED ID CARD CHECKING AND THE COMPLETION OF THE BORDER FENCE WHICH HAVE ENABLE THE FORCE TO TAKE MORE EFFECTIVE ACTION.
ON TRAFFIC, THE YEAR SAW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SEAT BELT LAW WHICH HAS HAD SOME BEARING ON THE REDUCED TRAFFIC ACCIDENT CASUALTY RATE BY 8.2 PER CENT.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS WORTH NOTING WERE IMPROVEMENTS TO FORCE MANAGEMENT, STAFF CONSULTATIVE PROCESS, WELFARE BENEFITS AND, ABOVE ALL, A CONTINUING STEADY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR POLICE ASSISTANCE.
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