XN000022-1980-10-01 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1980

HE SAID THAT IT RAN CONTRARY TO THE TREND IN JUVENILE DRUG ADDICTION.

THE GOVERNOR HAS ASKED THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE A THOROUGH STUDY OF BOTH THE STATISTICS AND CAUSES OF THIS UPSURGE.

THE GOVERNOR ADDED: IT IS HOWEVER INEVITABLE THAT THE ADDITIONAL BURDEN PLACED ON THE POLICE IN CONNECTION WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAS TO SOME EXTEND DETRACTED FROM THE STRENGTH AVAILABLE FOR ANTI-CRIME DUTIES,

+THOUGH THERE IS LITTLE STATISTICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND CRIME, IT IS GENERALLY BELIEVED IN THE FORCE THAT A CONNECTION EXISTS. THE FORCE HAS DONE EXTRAORDINARILY WELL UNDER THE DOUBLE BURDEN.+

THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, HAS AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO A 10-YEAR PROGRAMME TO EXPAND THE MARINE POLICE FLEET BY 24 VESSELS BECAUSE OF INCREASED COMMITMENTS IN COMBATTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND POLICING HONG KONG'S WATERS.

HE SAID IT WAS ALSO INTENDED TO REPLACE 34 EXISTING VESSELS AND THAT THE MARINE POLICE WOULD CONTINUE TO DEPLOY FAST SMALL BOATS IN ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS.

SPEAKING ON CRIME, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE POLICE HAD OVER THE YEARS SUCCESSFULLY REDUCED ROBBERIES - THE CRIME WHICH CAUSES SUCH GENERAL FEAR IN THE POPULATION.

THERE WAS A SHARP INCREASE TO A DAILY RATE OF ABOUT 30 LAST SUMMER, HE SAID.

+THIS WAS AN UNWELCOME SIDE EFFECT OF SUCCESS IN INTERCEPTING DRUGS, FORCING UP THEIR PRICE, AND THUS PRODUCING A CROP OF QUICK CASH CRIME SUCH AS THEFTS FROM VEHICLES, BUT ALSO MUGGING, + HE SA ID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THE COUNTER MEASURES TAKEN WERE SUCCESSFUL IN CONTAINING AND FIGHTING BACK THE UPSURGE.

ROBBERIES, HE SAID, HAD NOW BEEN REDUCED TO ABOUT 26 A DAY AND OBVIOUSLY MUST BE REDUCED FURTHER BEFORE THERE COULD BE ANY ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY.

AS A MEASURE OF POLICE SUCCESS AND EFFORT OVER THE YEARS THE GOVERNOR SAID THIS FIGURE OF 26 COMPARED WITH A DAILY RATE OF 40 IN 1974.

+THERE IS ALSO A DISTURBING TENDENCY TOWARDS MORE VIOLENCE AND MORE FREQUENT USE OF FIREARMS. IT IS BY CONCENTRATING ON CRIME PREVENTION THAT THE POLICE HOPE TO REDUCE FURTHER THE NUMBER OF ROBBERIES, + SIR MURRAY CONTINUED.

HE SAID THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE OF GOVERNMENT/POLICE/PUBLIC WAS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS.

THE POLICE WOULD DEVELOP THIS ALLIANCE THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICERS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING UNITS AND BY MORE EXTENSIVE DEPLOYMENT OF CRIME PREVENTION OFFICERS TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, HE SAID.

TOLICE PREVENTIVE