XN000022-1978-11-15 — Page 9

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ADNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1978

TURNING TO THE WORK OF THE POLICE FORCE, MR. DAVIES SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE EFFORTS AND SUCCESS OF THE POLICE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME WERE APPRECIATED BY THE PUBLIC.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE THRUST OF POLICE OPERATIONS IS BEING CONSTANTLY REFINED AND REDIRECTED TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES AND DEVELOPMENTS AS THEY OCCUR.

AS AN EXAMPLE, HE SAID THE ACTIVITIES OF TRIADS ARE THE SUBJECT OF CLOSE INVESTIGATION AND COVERAGE BY THE POLICE AND THERE ARE ALSO FURTHER PLANS TO BRING GREATER PRESSURE ON TRIADS.

THESE INITATIVES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED IN THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AND A PROPOSAL FOR THE AMENDMENT OF LEGISLATION WILL BE PUT TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL SHORTLY, HE SAID.

+AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, +A SMALL OFFICIAL GROUP IS BEING ESTABLISHED TO CO-ORDINATE MORE COMPREHENSIVELY, THAN HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE, THE COUNTER MEASURES WHICH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE TAKING.+

ON PROPOSALS FOR HOUSING THE POLICE, MR. DAVIES SAID THE PROVISION OF HOUSING FOR ALL JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS IS NOW AN ACCEPTED POLICY, PARTLY IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND PARTLY IN DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS, THOUGH INEVITABLY THE POLICY WILL TAKE TIME TO IMPLEMENT.

+FURTHER, A SCHEME FOR ALLOCATING HOUSING IN PUBLIC ESTATES FOR JUNIOR OFFICERS IN ALL DISCIPLINED SERVICES, WHO ARE APPROACHING RETIREMENT, HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. THE FIRST ALLOCATION WILL TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR AND WILL ENABLE THE OFFICERS TO RETAIN THIS ACCOMMODATION AFTER RETIREMENT, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO THE CORRECTIVE AND TREATMENT PROGRAMMES OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, MR. DAVIES SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING TWO PROPOSALS: FIRST TO EXTEND THE COVERAGE OF AFTERCARE SERVICES TO INCLUDE THOSE UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE SENTENCED TO PRISON AND SECONDLY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, AT POSSIBLE CHANGES IN THE LAW IN RESPECT OF ADDICTS GENERALLY, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED TWO OR MORE SENTENCES.

MR. DAVIES ADDED THAT THE ENCOURAGING RESULTS FROM DETENTION CENTRES AND TREATMENT CENTRES ARE BEING MAINTAINED, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BE WRONG TO PAINT TOO ROSY A PICTURE OF THE RESULTS OF THESE PROGRAMMES, OR OF THE LONG TERM WORK HABITS, OR PROSPECTS, OF THOSE WHO ARE RELEASED FROM PRISON INSTITUTIONS.

+THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR ITS PART PROVIDES A SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR SOME OF THEM AND IN APRIL THERE WERE ABOUT 170 EX-PRISONERS AND 450 ADDICTS IN EMPLOYMENT IN VARIOUS CAREFULLY SELECTED DEPARTMENTS AND JOBS, HE SAID.

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