XN000022-1976-01-07 — Page 14

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Wednesday, January 7, 1976

CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM UNDER CONSTANT REVIEV

The Commissioner of Police will continue to keep under r.vicu

the system of reporting and recording crino with a view to reducing

to the minimun the time spent by members of the public in making reports.

The Secretary for Security, the Hen, Lewis Davics, said this in

the Legislative Council today in reply to the Hon. Hilton Cheong-leen's question

on the simplification of the crine reporting system,

Mr. Davies said that the system had been simplified and improved

in a number of ways since 1973.

The improvements include provision of separate facilities in nost

urban police st..tions for members of the public making reperts, n

strccalining of actual reporting and recording procedures and an increase

in the number of places where a report can be andc.

As for simplification of procedures, Mr. Davies anid that in the

case of a minor crine, basic essential det-ils were recorded directly into

a proform, and into the investigator's notebook, thereby elimin-ting the

lengthy process of taking statements vorbatin. However, the taking of

statomunt uns still required in cases of a more serious nature, he addud.

Nr. Davi...o szid: "Though the system of reporting and recording

crime is under continurl review, there is a limit to the extent to which

the systou can be further simplified."

"The primary purpose of reporting crine is to enable the criminal

t be identified and brought to court," he said. "Conscquently it is

csscntil that the Police obtain all the relevant facts tb oncble 1

successful prosecution to take place."

He said that to schiave this goal, a degree of inconvenience to

the public is inevitable".

Mr. Davies