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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1992
MR ASPREY SAID THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAD ALREADY MADE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS ON THIS, HAVING COMPLETED A REVIEW OF MANPOWER NEEDS FOR POLICE LAND REGIONS AND DISTRICTS WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR SOME 52 PER CENT OF OVERALL POLICE MANPOWER.
HE SAID THE REVIEW TEAM WOULD USE THIS AS A STARTING POINT, AND THEN MOVED ON TO CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF ALL OTHER POLICE FORMATIONS.
THE REVIEW TEAM WILL BE CHAIRED BY A DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, AND INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, FINANCE AND SECURITY BRANCHES WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A PRIVATE SECTOR CONSULTANT.
IT WILL REPORT ΤΟ A STEERING GROUP TO BE CHAIRED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY.
THE OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE THAT THE POLICE HAS THE RIGHT ESTABLISHMENT, MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE TO TAKE IT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE 1990S.
MR ASPREY SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHARED THE CONCERN OF THE LEGCO AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AT THE RECENT INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME, IN PARTICULAR ROBBERIES WITH FIREARMS OR IMITATION FIREARMS.
"BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE SHOULD NOT EXAGGERATE THE PROBLEM.
"BY ANY COMPARISON WITH OTHER MAJOR CITIES, HONG KONG'S CRIME RATE REMAINS LOW, AND WE HAVE A WELL MANNED, WELL MOTIVATED AND WELL EQUIPPED POLICE FORCE," HE SAID.
MR ASPREY ASSURED LEGCO MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALWAYS SOUGHT TO PROVIDE THE POLICE WITH THE EQUIPMENT THEY NEED.
HE SAID ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE ON POLICE EQUIPMENT IN REPRESENTS A 225 PER CENT INCREASE ON EXPENDITURE IN 1989/90, 16 PER CENT INCREASE ON EXPENDITURE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.
1992/93 AND A
THEIR
MR ASPREY SAID THE POLICE WERE AT PRESENT REVIEWING REQUIREMENTS FOR ARMS AND AMMUNITION FOR POLICE OFFICERS ON DAILY PATROL.
BUT HE CAUTIONED THAT NEW AND ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT WAS NOT THE WHOLE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF VIOLENT CRIME, IN PARTICULAR RECENT ARMED ROBBERIES, NOR TO THE PROBLEM OF SMUGGLING WITHIN THE WATERS OF HONG KONG.
"OTHER MEASURES IN THE FORM OF IMPROVED INTELLIGENCE, DEPLOYMENT OF MANPOWER, AND LIAISON AND CO-OPERATION WITH CHINA ARE ALSO REQUIRED," HE SAID.
ON THE PROBLEMS OF POLICE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, MR ASPREY SAID THE PROVISION IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS NOT A CONSTRAINT ON RECRUITMENT.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TRY TO ENSURE THAT THE POLICE WOULD BE ABLE TO RECRUIT SOME 1,600 ADDITIONAL JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS.
/THE SECRETARY