MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1984
2
TRIAD BUREAU DISBANDED FOR SOUND REASONS+
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THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR DAVID JEAFFRESON STRESSED TODAY THAT THE DECISION TO DISBAND THE TRIAD SOCIETY BUREAU BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE WAS TAKEN FOR SOUND OPERATIONAL REASONS AND WAS NOT AS A RESULT OF ANY BELIEF THAT TRIADS NO LONGER HAD THE CAPACITY TO CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS POTENTIAL THREAT TO LAW AND ORDER.
MR JEAFFRESON EXPLAINED THE BACKGROUND TO THE DECISION AND PUT THE PROBLEM OF TRIAD ACTIVITIES IN PERSPECTIVE, IN COMMENT ON SOME OF THE MORE SENSATIONAL STATEMENTS PUBLISHED IN THE PRESS RECENTLY WHICH MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE PUBLIC UNNECESSARY CONCERN.
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ON THE DECISION TO DISBAND THE TRIAD SOCIETY BUREAU MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE POLICE HAD AT NO TIME CONSIDERED IT SAFE TO RELAX THEIR VIGILANCE.
+THE COMMISSIONER DECIDED THAT FRONT-LINE POLICE ACTION SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED WHERE IT MATTERED MOST ON THE STREETS AT REGIONAL AND DISTRICT COMMAND LEVEL.
+THE LEVEL OF COMMAND THERE, THE RESOURCES TO GATHER TRIAD INTELLIGENCE AND THE NUMBER OF TRAINED OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO COMBAT TRIAD ACTIVITIES WERE ALL INCREASED. THE POLICE HAVE NO CAUSE TO DOUBT THE VALIDITY OR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT DECISION, HE SAID.
+ALTHOUGH THE BUREAU WAS DISBANDED, THE LEVEL OF CENTRAL CONTROL AND THE ABILITY TO GATHER AND ASSESS INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE ON TRIADS WAS IN FACT INCREASED. WHILE THE BUREAU HAD A LIMITED CHARTER AND WAS HEADED BY A SUPERINTENDENT, THE NEW ORGANISED AND SERIOUS CRIMES GROUP WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING POLICE ACTION AGAINST TRIADS, IS COMMANDED BY A CHIEF SUPER INTENDENT ASSISTED BY SEVERAL SENIOR SUPERINTENDENTS IN CHARGE OF SPECIALISED BUREAUX ALL TASKED TO CONCENTRATE MUCH OF THEIR EFFORTS AGAINST TRIADS AND ORGANISED CRIME.
+ IN ADDITION, BOTH THE NARCOTICS AND COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAUX, EACH HEADED BY CHIEF SUPERINTENDENTS, DEVOTE MUCH OF THE IR TIME TO DEALING WITH TRIAD INVOLVEMENT IN THE AREAS OF THEIR IMMEDIATE RESPONSIBILITY. THE POLICE COMMITMENT TO COMBATTING TRIADS CONTINUES TO FORM A LARGE PART OF THE FORCE'S OVERALL ANTI-CRIME EFFORT,+ MR JE AFFRESON SAID.
+THE 1976-77 ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION ACCURATELY REFLECTED THE FACT THAT TRIADS HAD BECOME TEMPORARILY DISORGANISED AND FRAGMENTED AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
+ IT IS THE FACT THAT THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN A RATHER SUDDEN REVIVAL OF TRIAD STRENGTH THAT HAS CAUSED THE CURRENT CONCERN. THE POLICE HAVE ALWAYS CONTINUED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THEM.
/+WHAT IS ...............