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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1990
POLICE GIVE OVERVIEW OF LAW AND ORDER SITUATION
TO FCC MEMBERS AND DFCC CHAIRMEN
THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, TODAY (SATURDAY) CHAIRED A MEETING OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AT WHICH MEMBERS WERE JOINED BY THE 19 DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN.
THIS SPECIAL JOINT MEETING WAS CALLED TO EXPLAIN GOVERNMENT'S POSITION WITH RESPECT TO COMBATTING CRIME AND ΤΟ EXCHANGE VIEWS ON THE LAW AND ORDER SITUATION.
OF
IN HIS OVERVIEW OF THE CRIME SITUATION, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER POLICE, OPERATIONS, MR JOHN SHEPPARD, SAID THE MAIN THRUST OF POLICE OPERATIONS HAD FOR MANY YEARS BEEN A STRONG AND CONVINCING PRESENCE ON THE STREETS OF HONG KONG AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.
"THIS DEPLOYMENT PHILOSOPHY ENABLES US TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO EMERGENCIES," HE SAID. "WE BELIEVE, ALSO, THAT IN PRACTICE THIS HAS A SIGNIFICANT DETERRENT EFFECT ON CRIMINALS
AND, EQUALLY IMPORTANT, IT MAKES POLICE OFFICERS READILY AVAILABLE TO THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SEEK OUR ASSISTANCE.
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MR SHEPPARD ASSURED FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN THAT THE FORCE WAS WELL TRAINED, WELL EQUIPPED, DEDICATED, AND PROFESSIONAL AND THAT DESPITE RECRUITMENT AND WASTAGE PROBLEMS IT REMAINED OF CONSIDERABLE SIZE.
"THE STRENGTH OF THE FORCE NOW STANDS AT 26,508, A FIGURK WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE 5,329 AUXILIARY POLICEMEN PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO THE POLICE," HE POINTED OUT.
OR
5,239
CIVILIAN
WHICH WE
"WE ARE WELL MOTIVATED AND THE MORALE ISSUES ABOUT HAVE ALL READ A GREAT DEAL IN RECENT MONTHS HAVE NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST WAY AFFECTED THE DETERMINATION OF POLICEMEN TO DEAL EFFICIENTLY CRIME, AND OTHER POLICE WORK."
WITH
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF FIREARMS INTO THE TERRITORY FROM CHINA, THEIR USE IN ROBBERIES AND THE INCIDENCE OF TRIAD AND GANG ACTIVITY WERE CAUSE FOR CONCERN, MR SHEPPARD SAID CURRENT POLICE ACTION
BOTH ON OUR STREETS AS WELL AS WITHIN ΤΟ FRUSTRATE THIS
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INVESTIGATORY AND SUPPORT UNITS WAS CALCULATED ACTIVITY AND APPREHEND THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
"ALL POLICE OFFICERS AGONIZE OVER CRIME STATISTICS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DON'T FIND IT ESPECIALLY HELPFUL TO BE INFORMED THAT THAN THEY THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIM OF A ROBBERY IN 1990
"NEVERTHELESS WERE IN 1980," MR SHEPPARD WENT ON.
THIS IS TRUE. IN 1980 ROBBERIES AVERAGED 25 A DAY COMPARED WITH 21 A DAY THIS YEAR.
OPERATIONS
AND
"CRIMINALS ARE NOT HAVING IT ALL THEIR OWN WAY AND WE HAVE HAD
IN A GOOD DEAL OF SUCCESS
BOTH INTELLIGENCE BASED THROUGH THE QUICK RESPONSE OF PATROLLING OFFICERS.
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