XN000022-1983-10-07 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1983

MR WATSON JOINED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AS A STATION OFFICER IN MARCH 1955. HE GAINED SUCCESSIVE PROMOTIONS TO BECOME DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES IN SEPTEMBER 1975.

MR HOLMES, AGED 52, JOINED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN AUGUST 1957 AS A STATION OFFICER.

HE WAS PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT DIVISIONAL OFFICER IN DECEMBER 1961, TO DIVISIONAL OFFICER IN MAY 1962, TO SENIOR FIRE OFFICER I IN NÓVEMBER 1965, TO ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRE OFFICER IN FEBRUARY 1968 AND TO CHIEF FIRE OFFICER IN JUNE 1970.

HE HAS BEEN DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES SINCE AUGUST 1981 AND HAS ACTED AS DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.

MR HOLMES WAS AWARDED THE COLONIAL POLICE MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN 1970 AND THE QUEEN'S FIRE SERVICES MEDAL IN 1974. HE WAS APPOINTED AN OFFICIAL JUSTICE OF THE PEACE IN JULY 1979.

FEWER YOUNG MALES PROSECUTED FOR CRIME

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THE NUMBER OF YOUNG MALES AGED BETWEEN 14 AND 20 PROSECUTED FOR CRIME HAS DROPPED SINCE THE LAUNCHING OF A MAJOR FIGHT YOUTH CRIME CAMPAIGN ON JULY 1 BY SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, CHAIRMAN OF THE RECENTLY RECONSTITUTED FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

THE COMMITTEE, AT ITS THIRD MEETING TO-DAY, WAS TOLD THERE HAD BEEN A 5.84 PER CENT DROP COMPARED WITH THE SAME THREE MONTHS LAST YEAR.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DECLINE WAS RECORDED IN SEPTEMBER WHEN A TOTAL OF 673 YOUNG MALES WERE PROSECUTED, A DECREASE OF 155, OR 18.7 PER CENT, WHEN COMPARED TO SEPTEMBER, 1982.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COMMITTEE SAID 'THE FIGURES ARE MOST ENCOURAGING AND, HOPEFULLY, THE NUMBER OF YOUNG MEN BECOMING INVOLVED IN CRIME WILL CONTINUE TO DECLINE."*

THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED MATTERS AS DIVERSE AS SECURITY OF GOLDSMITH AND JEWELLERY SHOPS, THE USE OF FIREARMS IN CRIME, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, TRIADS, ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF HANDCUFFS, IDENTIFICATION PARADE PROCEDURES AND DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES.

THE COMMITTEE WILL SUBMIT ITS FIRST SIX MONTHLY REPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN DECEMBER.

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