WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 1985
5
'CRIME IN COUNTRY PARKS LOW'
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THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME IN COUNTRY PARKS WAS VERY LOW, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, MR JEAFFRESON SAID A SPECIAL STUDY BY THE POLICE HAD SHOWN THAT FROM APRIL 1982 TO MARCH 1983, THERE WERE 101 CASES OF REPORTED CRIME IN HONG KONG'S 21 COUNTRY PARKS.
THIS COMPARED WITH A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 80 000 REPORTED CRIMES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY DURING THE SAME 12 MONTHS.
HE SAID THE POLICE HAD CONTINUED TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH FOR ANY SIGNS OF AN INCREASE IN CRIME IN THESE AREAS, AND THAT THE LEVEL OF CRIME HAD REMAINED LOW SO FAR.
+POLICE PATROLS ARE DEPLOYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NEEDS ON THE GROUND AND MAY TAKE THE FORM OF MOTORCYCLE AND MOBILE PATROLS, OR PATROLS BY DOG-HANDLERS AND OTHER POLICEMEN ON FOOT,+ HE SAID.
IN ADDITION TO THE POLICE PRESENCE, MR JEAFFRESON SAID, THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT MAINTAINED 28 MANAGEMENT. CENTRES AND 19 PARK WARDEN POSTS WHICH WERE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTRY PARKS.
+FROM THESE CENTRES AND POSTS, 117 UNIFORMED PARK RANGERS REGULARLY PATROL DIFFERENT PARKS OF THE COUNTRY PARKS ON MOTOR CYCLES AND ON FOOT, HE SAID.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER EXTENDING THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY POLICE UNIT TO COVER THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY ONLY IF AND WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES SO JUSTIFIED.
+REPORTED CRIME ON THE KCR DROPPED FROM 472 IN 1983 TO 332 IN 1984 AND THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT MIGHT BE EVEN LOWER IN 1985, HE SAID.
THIS COMPARED WITH 249 REPORTED CRIMES FOR THE MTR IN 1984.
MR JEAFFRESON SAID POLICE COVERAGE OF KCR TRAINS AND STATIONS WAS CO-ORDINATED BY THE REGIONAL POLICE COMMANDER OF THE NEW
TERRITORIES.
/+THE DAY-TO-DAY