WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1993
22
NO LET-UP IN FIGHT AGAINST CRIME
* * * * *
TODAY
MADE IT CLEAR FIGHT
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE THE AGAINST CRIME WITHOUT LET-UP.
SPEAKING ON LAW AND ORDER IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT CRIME BY GIVING OUR POLICE OFFICERS THE LEGAL WEAPONS THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH ORGANISED CRIME AND BY PUTTING AS MANY POLICE AS WE CAN ON THE BEAT THROUGH OUR SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT PROGRAMME.
זז
THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT THE POLICE HAD RECRUITED A THOUSAND MORE POLICE OFFICERS SO FAR THIS YEAR.
ON ORGANISED CRIME, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE POLICE URGENTLY NEEDED THE POWERS CONTAINED IN THE ORGANISED AND SERIOUS CRIMES BILL ALREADY BEFORE THIS COUNCIL FOR 16 MONTHS.
"OF COURSE MEMBERS MUST SCRUTINISE THE BILL'S PROVISIONS FOR THEIR IMPACT ON THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
" BUT OUR POLICEMEN AND WOMEN ARE FACING A SERIOUS THREAT NEED THE POWERS TO CRACK DOWN HARD ON CRIMINAL GANGS AS SOON
NOW,
AS
THEY POSSIBLE.
H
'I URGE THE COUNCIL TO PRESS ON SPEEDILY WITH YOUR WORK ON THIS BILL," HE SAID.
ON THE GENERAL CRIME SITUATION, THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT HONG KONG HAD DONE PRETTY WELL COMPARED WITH OTHER LARGE CITIES.
HE POINTED OUT THAT KEY CRIME RATES WERE ACTUALLY FALLING: VIOLENT CRIME WAS DOWN BY SIX PER CENT AND VEHICLE THEFT BY A QUARTER.
HE SAID THE REASONS FOR A DOWNWARD CRIME TREND WAS COMPLEX AND CLEARLY A BUOYANT ECONOMY WITH FULL. IMPLOYMENT, COUPLED WITH SUBSIDISED HOUSING AND AN EFFECTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES SAFETY
ARE PART OF THE EXPLANATION.
NET,
"BUT A GREAT DEAL OF THE CREDIT MUST GO TO OUR EXCELLENT POLICE FORCE WHO, DAY IN DAY OUT, FIGHT THE CRIMINAL ON OUR STREETS.
"PROFESSIONAL, DISCIPLINED AND COURAGEOUS, THEY ARE ONE OF THE FINEST POLICE FORCES IN THE WORLD.
++
PAY WARM TRIBUTE TO THEM ALL, AND TO ALL THE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHO WORK ALONGSIDE THEM, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
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