XN000022-1982-05-19 — Page 9

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1982

SECURITY IN SQUATTER AREAS

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EXPERIMENTAL MEASURES WERE BEING ADOPTED TO PROVIDE FOR SHORT- TERM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS IN SQUATTER AREAS. THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE PROVISION OF UTILITIES, STREET LIGHTING AND ADEQUATE ACCESS ROUTES SHOULD IMPROVE THE GENERAL SECURITY AND ORDERLINESS OF THESE AREAS AND IN TURN GIVE THEIR RESIDENTS A BETTER SENSE OF PHYSICAL SECURITY, HE SAID.

MR DAVIES WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHARLES YEUNG ON THE RECENT INCIDENT INVOLVING POLICE OFFICERS AND A GROUP OF VILLAGERS AT NGAU CHI WAN VILLAGE.

ON MAY 3, POLICE OFFICERS ARRESTED A SUSPECTED ROBBER IN THE AREA IN RESPONSE TO A HUE AND CRY. SUBSEQUENTLY THEY HAD TO PROTECT THE SUSPECT FROM A HOSTILE CROWD OF VLAGERS.

MR DAVIES SAID POLICE INVESTIGATIONS INDICATED THAT THE ARRESTED SUSPECT WAS PROBABLY KNOWN TO SOME OF THE VILLAGERS AS A PERSON CHARGED AND RELEASED ON BAIL ON THE SAME DAY IN CONNECTION WITH ANOTHER CHARGE OF BURGLARY.

+THIS KNOWLEDGE MAY HAVE SPARKED OFF THE INCIDENT,+ HE SAID.

THE UNDERLYING REASONS, HE ADDED, MIGHT HAVE BEEN A HIGH LOCAL CRIME RATE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1981-82 AND INCREASED LOCAL POPULATION AS A RESULT OF RECENT SQUATTER DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE VILLAGE WHICH MIGHT HAVE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.

MR DAVIES SAID NEWLY-ARRIVED RESIDENTS OF THESE SQUATTER AREAS LACKING UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG'S LAW AND SYSTEM OF JUSTICE, OR LONGER TERM RESIDENTS EXASPERATED AT THE INCIDENCE OF LOCAL CRIME MIGHT HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY SOUGHT TO TAKE THE LAW INTO THE IR OWN HANDS.

STEPS ARE NOW BEING TAKEN TO DISCOURAGE THE RECURRENCE OF SUCH DISORDERLY INCIDENTS BY MAINTAINING POLICE BEAT PATROLS IN THE AREA OVER A FULL 24 HOURS PERIOD, AUGMENTED BY CID, PTU AND AUXILIARY POLICE PATROLS WHENEVER OPERATIONAL COMMITMENTS PERMIT.

+GOOD RELATIONS ARE MAINTAINED BETWEEN VARIOUS MUTUAL AID AND VILLAGE COMMITTEES, THE POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE AND THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE OF WONG TAI SIN, AND EFFORTS TO FOSTER IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND THE POLICE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THESE ESTABLISHED CHANNELS,+ HE SAID.

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