XN000022-1980-10-01 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1980

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I

POLICE PREVENTIVE METHODS HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING BANK AND GOLDSMITH ROBBERIES PREVALENT IN LATE 1979 AND EARLY THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

ON POLICE EXPANSION AND RECRUITMENT, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE FORCE CONTINUED LAST YEAR'S CONSOLIDATION PHASE BY MAINTAINING AN ANNUAL EXPANSION FIGURE OF FIVE PER CENT.

THE FORCE'S OWN MANAGEMENT CAPACITY HAS BEEN REINFORCED AND A NEW SENIOR CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR EQUIVALENT IN RANK TO A DEPUTY COMMISSIONER APPOINTED, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID LAST YEAR SAW A CONCENTRATION ON IMPROVEMENTS TO WELFARE AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WHICH WOULD CONTINUE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE ALLOCATION SCHEME OF 400 PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS FOR JUNIOR OFFICERS WAS WORKING WELL AND, WITH PLANS FOR BUILDING MORE POLICE MARRIED QUARTERS, THE FORCE'S HOUSING PROBLEM SHOULD BE ALLEVIATED.

POLICE

THE GOVERNOR SAID 16 OF THE 20 HOLIDAY HOMES NOW AVAILABLE IN MACAU AND THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE FOR JUNIOR OFFICERS. CANTEENS AND SPORTS AND RECREATION CENTRES WERE IMPROVED, WITH THE LATTER GREATLY ASSISTED BY PRIVATE DONATIONS.

ON RECRUITMENT, SIR MURRAY SAID ONLY 1 600 JUNIOR OFFICERS WERE RECRUITED IN 1979-80 COMPARED WITH MORE THAN 2 200 IN 1977-78 BECAUSE OF CONSOLIDATION AND REDUCED WASTAGE.

+THIS HAS PERMITTED THE FORCE TO BE MORE SELECTIVE AND REQUIRE THAT CANDIDATES HAVE FIVE YEARS SECONDARY EDUCATION. THIS IN TURN WILL PERMIT IN FUTURE A LARGER NUMBER OF INSPECTORATE OFFICERS TO BE PROMOTED FROM THE RANKS,+ HE SAID.

THERE WERE 174 SUCH PROMOTIONS IN THE LAST THREE YEARS COMPARED WITH 51 IN THE PRECEDING PERIOD, HE SAID.

AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, EFFORTS HAD BEEN MADE TO OBTAIN INSPECTORATE CANDIDATES AT MATRICULATION AND DEGREE LEVEL, AND WITH SOME SUCCESS.

+BUT RAPID EXPANSION HAS LEFT THE FORCE EXCEPTIONALLY YOUNG AND LACK OF EXPERIENCED OFFICERS ESSENTIAL FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM AND IT HAS BEEN AGGRAVATED BY AN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH EXODUS OF MAINLY EXPATRIATE INSPECTORS AFTER THEIR FIRST TOUR, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

HE ADDED: +A WORKING PARTY TO ADVISE ON WAYS OF IMPROVING INSPECTORATE WORKING CONDITIONS HAS BEEN SET UP IN THE SHORT-TERM AND AS A STOPGAP MEASURE ONLY, THE POLICE ARE RECRUITING FROM OVERSEAS ON LIMITED CONTRACTS A NUMBER OF SENJOR INSPECTORS WITH SPECIALIST QUALIFICATIONS IN THE FIELD OF COMMERCIAL CRIME, TRAINING, AND POSSIBLY SEAMANSHIP. +

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