XN000022-1979-02-14 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1979

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POLICE RECOVERED 15 OUT OF 17 GUNS STOLEN IN 1976-78

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POLICE RECOVERED 15 OF THE 17 GUNS SNATCHED OR STOLEN FROM THE IR OFFICERS IN THE 1976-78 PERIOD, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR. DAVIES SAID, IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON. PETER C. WONG, THAT THOSE RECOVERED INCLUDED TWO SEIZED BY POLICE AT THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT TWO FOUND BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND RETURNED TO POLICE AND 11 RECOVERED BY POLICE THROUGH THEIR INVESTIGATIONS.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL HE WAS UNABLE TO SAY WITH CERTAINTY HOW MANY OF THOSE GUNS WERE USED IN THE COMMISSION OF OFFENCES SUCH AS ROBBERIES.

+A POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION OF A WEAPON CAN ONLY BE MADE ONCE A SHOT FIRED FROM IT IS RECOVERED AND THEN COMPARED WITH A ROUND FIRED FROM THE SAME GUN ONCE IT IS RETURNED TO THE POLICE, + MR. DAVIES SAID.

BEARING IN MIND THIS LIMITATION HE SAID THAT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS FIVE POLICE REVOLVERS OUT OF THOSE STOLEN HAD BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS HAVING BEEN USED IN THE COMMISSION OF ROBBER IES.

HE SAID THAT FOR OFFENCES CONNECTED WITH THE STEALING OF POLICE GUNS:

*

18 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED, 22 CHARGES LAID AND NINE CONVICTIONS WERE MADE IN 1976.

* THERE WERE NO ARRESTS LAST YEAR OR SO FAR THIS YEAR.

+ALL POLICE OFFICERS, HE SAID, RECEIVE TRAINING IN BASIC SELF-DEFENCE. UNIFORMED OFFICERS HAVE THEIR REVOLVERS SECURED TO THE IR PERSON BY MEANS OF A LANYARD.

+ IN ADDITION, THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BEAT RADIO SYSTEM WITHIN THE URBAN AREA HAS IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY THE SPEED WITH WHICH POLICE RESPOND TO CRIME, INCLUDING INCIDENTS WHERE AN OFFICER IS ATTACKED.+

THE BEAT RADIO SET, HE SAID, IS EQUIPPED WITH AN EMERGENCY SWITCH BY MEANS OF WHICH AN OFFICER MAY INDICATE WHEN HE IS IN NEED OF URGENT ASSISTANCE.

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