8
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985
NEW POLICE TRAINING COURSE TO FOCUS ON FRAUD
****
FRAUD - THE BLOODLESS CRIME WHICH CAUSES HEARTACHE AND RUIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE HONG KONG SCENE - IS BEING GIVEN CLOSE SCRUTINY IN A NEW TRAINING COURSE INTRODUCED BY COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU.
FOR THREE MONTHS IN A LECTURE ROOM AT FORCE TRAINING WING INSPECTORATE OFFICERS ARE BEING INSTRUCTED IN THE COMPLEX AND FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS OF CRIMINAL FINANCIAL MANIPULATION.
THE COURSE DEALS WITH CASE REPORTS, COMPUTER CRIME, ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING AND METHODS OF BANK ING MANAGEMENT.
LECTURES ARE BEING GIVEN BOTH BY COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU OFFICERS AND BANKING AND COMMERCIAL SPECIALISTS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
MR RUSS MASON, ACTING CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, CRIME, IN CCB, EXPLAINED: TRAINING IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR WORK BUT WITH THE INCREASE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BUSINESS CONCERNS IN HONG KONG AND RECENT EVENTS LIKE THE COLLAPSE OF SOME FINANCE HOUSES AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES THE NEED FOR MORE SPECIALIST TRAINING FOR CCB OFFICERS AND SELECTED OFFICERS IN THE REGIONS HAS BECOME ESSENTIAL.
''HONG KONG'S EXPANSION AS AN INTERNATIONAL BANKING CENTRE WITH VERY ACTIVE STOCK EXCHANGES AND COMMODITY TRADING HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASE IN MAJOR FRAUDS, OFTEN WITH INTERNATIONAL RAN IF ICATIONS.
''THE GOVERNMENT HAS REALISED THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE POSITIVE ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS RELATED TO FRAUD.
''THE POLICE IS THE MAJOR ENFORCEMENT ARM OF THE GOVERNMENT IN DEALING WITH COMMERCIAL FRAUDS AND MOVES HAVE BEEN MADE IN RECENT YEARS TO MAKE THE NECESSARY INCREASES IN OUR ESTABLISHMENT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.''
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DISCIPLINED STAFF IN THE CCB HAS RISEN FROM 97 IN 1980 TO ITS CURRENT STRENGTH OF 230. THERE HAVE BEEN PROPORTIONAL INCREASES IN CIVILIAN STAFF.
MR MASON SAID THE NEW COURSE WAS THE FIRST IN-HOUSE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMME TO BE INTRODUCED FOR INSPECTORATE OFFICERS IN CCB, AND SELECTED OFFICERS IN THE REGIONS AND CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE BUREAU.
THE COURSE WAS PUTTING EMPHASIS ON THE INVESTIGATION OF COMPLEX FRAUD CASES AND WOULD ALSO GIVE INSPECTORS GROUNDING ON BANKING, ACCOUNTANCY AND COMPUTERS, COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY.
/DISCUSSIONS WERE