XN000022-1983-04-27 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1983

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+THESE FIGURES MAY BE COMPARED WITH 115 IN 1972, THE WORST YEAR FOR HOMICIDES IN THE 1970'S. THE LOWEST NUMBER RECORDED IN THAT DECADE WAS 57 IN 1977, + SIR PHILIP SAID.

WHEN ASSESSING RECENT FIGURES, ONE MUST REMEMBER THAT BETWEEN 1971 AND 1982, THE POPULATION INCREASED FROM 3.9 MILLION TO 5.2 MILLION, HE ADDED.

AS REGARDS KIDNAPPING, THERE WERE 10 REPORTED CASES IN 1980, EIGHT IN 1981 AND FOUR IN 1982.

THERE HAVE BEEN THREE SO FAR THIS YEAR AND THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES OF KIDNAPPING IN THE 1970'S WAS NINE IN 1975, $IR PHILIP SAID.

ONE OF THE MOST PRACTICAL MEASURES MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN TAKE AGAINST CRIME IS TO REPORT IT, HE STRESSED, NOTING THAT IN RESPECT OF KIDNAPPING, THE RELATIVES OF THOSE KIDNAPPED MIGHT PREFER TO PAY UP AND BRING THE INCIDENT TO A CLOSE RATHER THAN GO TO THE POLICE.

HE SAID THAT THE POLICE ARE ENTRUSTED BY THE GOVERNMENT WITH THE TASK OF ENSURING THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY CAN GO ABOUT HIS OR HER BUSINESS WITHOUT LET OR HINDRANCE.

+ THE COMMISSIONER. HIS SENIOR OFFICERS AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FORCE ARE COMMITTED TO THIS TASK. BUT THIS TASK IS IMPOSSIBLE OF ACHIEVEMENT IF CRIMINAL ACTS ATTEMPTED OR SUCCESSFUL GO UNREPORTED, SIR PHILIP SAID.

+SO ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ALL OTHERS TO REPORT CRIME, HE ADDED.

+THE REASON WHY REPORTING CRIME IS WORTHWHILE IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS INVESTED HEAVILY IN A WELL MANNED, WELL EQUIPPED AND WELL TRAINED POLICE FORCE, HE STRESSED.

BUT SIR PHILIP SAID THAT WHATEVER THE STATISTICAL TRENDS MAY BE, AND NO MATTER HOW FAVOURABLY HONG KONG MAY COMPARE WITH OTHER CITIES, THERE IS STILL TOO MUCH CRIME GENERALLY AND VIOLENT CRIME IN PARTICULAR.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE POLICE ARE COMMITTED TO REDUCING THE FIGURES.

+TO THIS END, THE COMMISSIONER IS ENGAGED IN A RESTRUCTURING EXERCISE, INVOLVING BOTH THE UNIFORM BRANCH AND THE CID DESIGNED TO GIVE COMMANDERS IN THE REGIONS AND DISTRICTS GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM TO MEET THE PROBLEMS WITH WHICH THEY ARE FACED.

+THE POLICE ARE ALSO CONSTANTLY REVIEWING THEIR METHODS OF INVESTIGATING CRIME. OF COURSE, THE FUNDAMENTAL TASK IS TO PREVENT CRIME FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE, SIR PHILIP SAID.

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