XN000022-1978-10-11 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1978

STRENGTHENING AND REORGANISING POLICE HQ STRUCTURE

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MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN STRENGTHENING AND REORGANISING THE HEADQUARTERS STRUCTURE OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.

SIMILAR PROGRESS WAS MADE IN IMPROVING IN-SERVICE TRAINING, STAFF RELATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, THE HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE, AND IN OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENT AND EFFICIENCY.

THIS FOLLOWED RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY A MOST EXPERIENCED TEAM FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM LED BY MR. J. CRANE, ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S INSPECTORS OF CONSTABULARY, AND A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF POLICE CONDUCTED JOINTLY WITH THE COMMISSIONER AND HIS STAFF AND THE SECURITY BRANCH OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT AND MR. CRANE'S TEAM.

+ IN BROAD TERMS THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT PROFESSIONALLY THE FORCE WAS WORKING ON THE RIGHT LINES BUT THAT INTENSE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND THE RAPID EXPANSION, REDEPLOYMENT AND REORGANISATION OF THE FORCE IN RECENT YEARS TO COMBAT CRIME, HAS HAD A DOUBLE-EDGED EFFECT.

+SUCCESS AGAINST CRIME, AND IN ACHIEVING AN IMPROVED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC, HAS BEEN REMARKABLE,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.

THE TEAM'S VISIT HAD ALSO RESULTED IN A LARGE NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO DO WITH WELFARE, LIVING CONDITIONS AND HOUSING AND ALSO FACILITIES FOR RECREATION, SOME OF WHICH, SIR MURRAY SAID, WERE APPLICABLE TO THE POLICE AND SOME TO OTHER OR ALL ELEMENTS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

+A FURTHER POINT THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION AS A RESULT OF THIS ENQUIRY IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOUR GOVERNMENT AS A GOOD EMPLOYER SHOULD PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS LEGAL COSTS INCURRED BY PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO ARE PROSECUTED FOR OFFENCES ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED WHEN THEY ARE ON DUTY. IT IS A POINT OF SPECIAL RELEVANCE TO THE POLICE,+ HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY STRESSED THAT IT WAS VITAL THAT PROCEDURES SHOULD EXIST FOR THE QUICK, EXPERT AND IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS, AND THE STRENGTHENED COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICE AND THE UMELCO COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE COMMITTEE HAD GREATLY IMPROVED THE SITUATION.

BUT IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT COMPLAINTS WERE A MUCH HIGHER OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD FOR POLICE THAN FOR OTHER PUBLIC SERVANTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE DUTY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE GROUND AND COUNTER-CHARGES OR COMPLAINTS WERE SOMETIMES THE ONLY DEFENCE GUILTY MEN COULD MAKE.

THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, +CONSIDERS THAT THE BROAD PUBLIC INTEREST REQUIRES THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR LEGAL

REPRESENTATIONS IN COURT SHOULD BE PROVIDED.+

THE IN-DEPTH STUDY WAS CONTINUING AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY JANUARY AT THE LATEST.

THE POLICE FORCE,