XN000022-1978-05-17 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1978

ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE WORKING ALONG RIGHT LINES

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THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE IS WORKING ALONG THE RIGHT LINES, MR. J.W.D. CRANE, SPECIAL POLICE ADVISER, TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE.

MR. CRANE, H.M. INSPECTOR OF CONSTABULARY FOR WALES AND SOUTH WEST ENGLAND, ARRIVED IN HONG KONG IN JANUARY, ACCOMPANIED BY CHIEF SUPERINTENDENTS ALFRED WALLEN AND ERIC HUMPHREY.

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE THREE-MAN TEAM WERE :-

(1) TO ADVISE THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE ON THE ORGANISATION

AND OPERATION OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, WITH PARTICULAR REGARD TO DISCIPLINE, STAFF MANAGEMENT AND MORALE, CHAIN OF COMMAND AND CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION AT ALL LEVELS, SOURCES AND STANDARDS OF RECRUITMENT RELATIONS WITH I.C.A.C. AND ANY OTHER MATTERS THE TÉAM CONSIDERS RELEVANT TO THE FOREGOING.

(2) TO ADVISE THE COMMISSIONER AGAINST CORRUPTION ON

I.C.A.C. PROCEDURES.

MR. CRANE SAID THAT PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING THE FORCE WAS WORKING ALONG THE RIGHT LINES. A GREAT DEAL HAD BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THE FORCE HAD BEEN MODERNISED AND THERE HAD BEEN A LARGE NUMBER OF INNOVATIONS. MANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS NOW BEING MADE WERE ALREADY UNDER REVIEW BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

+BECAUSE OF THE INCREASES IN CRIME DURING 1973 AND 1974 THERE WAS A NATURAL PRE-OCCUPATION WITH THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME MR. CRANE SAID. +THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A RAPID EXPANSION OF THE FORCE IN RECENT YEARS AND WITH THE CRIME FACTOR IN MIND, CONSIDERABLE RE-DEPLOYMENT AND RE-ORGANISATION. WHILST SUCCESS AGAINST CRIME HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE THE ADMINISTRATION, MAN- MANAGEMENT, DISCIPLINE AND CONTROL OF THE FORCE HAS RECEIVED LESS EMPHASIS.+

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MR. CRANE SAID THAT THIS IMBALANCE IN ORGANISATION, MAN-MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL HAD CAUSED DIFFICULTIES IN COMBATTING THE PROBLEM OF CORRUPTION AND IN PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO THE FORCE IN THE LIGHT OF 1.C.A.C. OPERATIONS.

+ IT MUST BE ACCEPTED, OF COURSE THAT THIS WEAKNESS WAS EXPLOITED BY THE CORRUPT THEMSELVES, MR. CRANE SAID.

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HE SAID THE MAIN CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE POLICE WERE, THEREFORE, AIMED AT STRENGTHENING ADMINISTRATION, MAN-MANAGEMENT, TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE AT ALL LEVELS.

/+AT POLICE