XN000022-1977-10-05 — Page 30

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1977

PUBLIC SUPPORT VITAL IN FIGHT AGAINST CRIME

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE TODAY COMMENDED THE COMMUNITY FOR ITS EFFORTS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND STRESSED THAT THE IR CONTINUED SUPPORT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS.

+ THE RESPONSE OF THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN MAGN IF ICENT, IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THE SUCCESS ACHIEVED. AND MUST BE MAINTAINED AND STRENGTHENED, SIR MURRAY SAID IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE OPENING SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

+ IN A FIGHT AGAINST CRIME IN WHICH LAST YEAR EIGHT PER CENT OF ARRESTS WERE EFFECTED BY CITIZENS, NO ONE CAN DOUBT THE SINCERITY AND DETERMINATION OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION,

HE ADDED.

SIR MURRAY RECALLED THAT BETWEEN 1964 AND 1974 GENERAL CRIME INCREASED THREE-AND-A-HALF TIMES WHILE VIOLENT CRIME ROSE NINEFOLD, CAUSING THE POPULATION GREAT ANXIETY AND UNDERMINING ITS CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT AND POLICE FORCE.

+BUT THE RADICAL STEPS INITIATED IN 1973 GRADUALLY TOOK EFFECT, AND SINCE 1974 UP TO JULY THIS YEAR VIOLENT CRIME HAS DROPPED BY 30 PER CENT AND KEY CRIME BY ABOUT 13 PER CENT,+ HE SAID.

THERE HAD ALSO BEEN A STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN DETECTION RATES AND IN NUMBERS OF PROSECUTION.

+ IT IS ALSO SATISFACTORY THAT THE PROPORTION OF OFFENDERS UNDER 21 HAS DROPPED FROM 39 PER CENT IN 1973 TO 30 PER CENT AND OF THOSE UNDER 16 FROM 12 PER CENT TO EIGHT PER CENT,+ HE SAID.

+ THE EVIDENT RELIEF OF THE POPULATION THAT WE APPEAR TO BE TURNING THIS CORNER TELLS EVEN MORE THAN THE STATISTICS.+

HOWEVER, SIR MURRAY SAID CRIME WAS STILL UNACCEPTABLY HIGH AND HE URGED THE PUBLIC NOT TO RELAX ITS EFFORTS.

THE RESPONSE OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, HE SAID, HAD ALSO BEEN REMARKABLE, AS ALL WHO KNEW THE FORCE WERE CONFIDENT IT WOULD BE.

THE FACTS, HE SAID, SPOKE FOR THEMSELVES :-

*

SINCE 1973 THE EFFECTIVE STRENGTH OF THE FORCE HAS BEEN INCREASED BY 36 PER CENT TO 20,013, INCLUDING CIVILIANS, AND THE NEW INTAKE IS OF CONSISTENTLY HIGH QUALITY,

/* THE CID

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