XN000022-1975-11-06 — Page 7

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1975

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NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING UNITS HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN POLICING DENSELY POPULATED ESTATES, HE SAID, AND THE COMMI ́SIONER OF POLICE WAS PLANNING TO EXPAND THE UNITS AS FA.. AS ESTABLISHMENT WOULD ALLOW.

DAVIES SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO THEIR PRIMARY DUTIES FES ABLISHING GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AND GIVING EFFICENT SERVICE AND ADVICE, CAREFULLY SELECTED OFFICERS VISITED SCHOOLS TO TALK ON ROAD SAFETY AND OTHER POLICE RELATED SUBJECTS, HELPED YOUTH RECREATION, AND TOOK PART IN COMMUNITY PROJECTS ORGANISED BY CITY DISTRICT OFFICES, ESTATE MANAGEMENTS OR KAIFONGS.

THERE WAS ALSO INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF THE POLICE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND GREATER CO-OPERATION BY THE PUBLIC IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME WHERE THERE IS A PERMANENT POLICE PRESENCE. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY SO WHERE ACTIVE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN MOBILISED.

THE SUCCESS OF THE MAC'S IN ELIMINATING CRIME IN BUILDINGS HAD PRODUCED A DEMAND FOR MORE COMMITTEES, AND ADDITIONAL STAFF HAD DEEN DEPLOYED IN THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT TO FORM NEW COMMITTEES AND LIAISON.

HE NOTED THAT THE POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS SCHEME WAS ALSO WORKING WELL AND THERE HAD BEEN ENCOURAGING RESULTS FROM THE JUNIOR POLICE CALL SCHEME WHICH NOW HAD 130,000 MEMBERS.

*NFORMATION FROM JPC MEMBERS, HE SAID, HAD LED TO THE ARREST

RONDERS, TO CONVICTIONS FOR DRUG PUSHERS, TO MISSING VELLES BEING TRACED AND TO VALUABLE LOST PROPERTY BEING RETURNED.

MR. DAVIES STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THE DRIVE AGAINST CRIME DID NOT REST SOLELY ON INCREASED PUBLIC SUPPORT OR IMPROVED FRIENDLINESS WITH THE COMMUNITY. OPERATIONAL METHODS VERE AN IMPORTANT PART AND THESE HAD BEEN MODERNISED.

HE NOTED THAT THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE CID HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO ALL URBAN AREAS AND ITS STRENGTH HAD BEEN INCREASED BY 700 MEN. TRAINING FACILITIES HAD ALSO BEEN EXPANDED.

DESPITE THIS, HOWEVER, THE WORKLOAD REMAINED HEAVY AND A FURTHER EXAMINATION WAS BEING UNDERTAKEN TO ASSESS THE PRECISE MANPOWER STRENGTH NEEDED BY THE CID.

THIS REVIEW, HE SAID, WOULD INCLUDE THE NEEDS OF THE SPECIALISED UNITS SET UP TO TACKLE SPECIAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS NARCOTICS, THUGS, SPECIAL CRIMES AND COMMERCIAL CRIMES.

MR. DAVIES SAID THERE WERE DEFINITE INDICATIONS OF IMPROVED INTELLIGENCE RESULTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE PREVENTIVE FIELD, AND DESPITE THE BURDEN THE CID HAD MAINTAINED ITS DETECTION RATE.

ON THE QUESTION OF RECRUITING REDUNDANT ARMY PERSONNEL TO THE POLIC FORCE, MR. DAVIES SAID APPLICATIONS FROM INDIVIDUAL REDUNDANT LOCALLY EMPLOYED SERVICEMEN WOULD BE CONSIDERED, BUT HE ADDED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO POST THEM TO COMPANIES OF THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT UNLESS THE PRESENT PRACTICE BY WHICH ALL POLICEMEN ARE REQUIRED TO TRAIN BOTH IN INTERNAL SECURITY AND NORMAL DUTIES WERE MODIFIED. SO FAR, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT PERSUADED THAT THIS WAS DESIRABLE.

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