XN000022-1983-08-14 — Page 4

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 1983

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GROWING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN POLICE NOTED

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ON AN AVERAGE DAY IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR, THE POLICE DEALT WITH 1 735 REQUESTS FOR VARIOUS FORMS OF ASSISTANCE.

AND OUT OF THIS TOTAL, 1 270 REQUESTS WERE FOR ASSISTANCE IN MATTERS NOT RELATING TO CRIME AT ALL,

THESE INCLUDED THE MORE ROUTINE CASES LIKE SETTLING DISPUTES, HANDLING FOUND PROPERTY AND NUISANCE COMPLAINTS, ATTENDING TO ACCIDENT VICTIMS, LOOKING AFTER LOST CHILDREN AND TACKLING OTHER DAY-TO-DAY PROBLEMS WHICH INDIVIDUALS COULD NOT SOLVE THEMSELVES.

THEY ALSO INCLUDED THE MORE UNUSUAL AND OFF-BEAT CASES LIKE CATCHING SNAKES AND STRAY DOGS, SEARCHING FOR LOST HIKERS AND SAILORS AND ROUNDING UP A BULL WHICH HAD GONE ON A RAMPAGE IN BUSY STREETS.

'A TOTAL OF 229 852 SUCH REQUESTS WERE DEALT WITH BY THE POLICE IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1983, REPRESENTING SOME THREE- QUARTERS OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR POLICE ASSISTANCE,' A POLICE SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

**WE FIND THIS A VERY ENCOURAGING TREND BECAUSE IT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE READY TO TURN TO THE POLICE FOR HELP WHEN FACED WITH DIFFICULTIES.

''THIS MUST INDICATE INCREASING CONFIDENCE AND BETTER RELATIONS WITH THE FORCE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

''

APART FROM REQUESTS FOR GENERAL ASSISTANCE, POLICE RECEIVED ANOTHER 39 497 CALLS FOR HELP IN CRIME-RELATED MATTERS AND A FURTHER 44 641 CALLS REPORTING MISCELLANEOUS AND MINOR NARCOTICS OFFENCES DURING THE PERIOD.

A SIGNIFICANT TREND THAT EMERGED IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1983 WAS THAT PATROLLING POLICEMEN WERE BEING APPROACHED BY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE,

BETWEEN JANUARY AND JUNE THIS YEAR, 17 089 PEOPLE APPROACHED POLICEMEN ON THE BEAT FOR VARIOUS KINDS OF HELP, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 31 PER CENT OVER THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD IN 1982.

'THESE FIGURES ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGING BECAUSE THEY REFLECT

GROWING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN OUR MEN ON THE BEAT.

''THEY ALSO SHOW THAT INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICERS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE APPROACHABLE AND DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF MAINTAINING A STRONG POLICE PRESENCE IN THE STREETS," HE ADDED.

THE FACT THAT INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS ARE DEALING WITH THESE REQUESTS PROMPTLY, HAS REFLECTED FAVOURABLY ON THE EFFICIENCY OF THE FORCE AND HAS CONTRIBUTED MUCH TOWARDS IMPROVING THE RAPPORT BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE PUBLIC THEY SERVE.

/BUT, BY