XN000022-1984-12-12 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1984

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NEW PLAN TO BEAT TRIADS STARTS

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A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME TO COUNTER A RESURGENCE IN TRIAD SOCIETY ACTIVITIES IS BEING SPEAR HEADED AT DETECTIVE TRAINING WING BY A NEW TRAINING SCHEME TO INSTRUCT OFFICERS TO BECOME EXPERTS IN ANTI-TRIAD OPERATIONS.

IN HOUSE INSTRUCTION ON TRIAD METHODS AND STRUCTURE IS BEING STEPPED UP ALSO AT POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL, IN CONTINUATION TRAINING AND IN JUNIOR AND SENIOR COMMAND COURSES.

"'WE ARE LOOKING INTO EVERY ASPECT OF TRIAD AND ORGANISED CRIME,'' SAID MR BRIAN WEBSTER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CRIME.

THE FIRST THREE-WEEK TRIAD EXPERT COURSE ENDED ON NOVEMBER 24, HAVING BEEN ATTENDED BY FOUR INSPECTORS, 14 JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS AND A POLICE INTERPRETER. A SECOND COURSE STARTED ON DECEMBER 3 WITH FIVE VOLUNTEER INSPECTORS AND 15 JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS.

THE INSTRUCTION TEAM IS HEADED BY SUPERINTENDENT ROBERT CHENG.

''THE COURSE IS VERY CAREFULLY WORKED OUT AND COVERS THE ENTIRE RANGE OF TRIAD MATTERS," SAID MR WEBSTER. IT GOES INTO TRIAD HISTORY, ITS MYTHS, STRUCTURE, POEMS AND WRITINGS, HANDSIGNS, AND RECOGNITION OF MEMBERSHIP.

''IT ALSO GOES INTO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF 26 INDIVIDUAL TRIAD SOCIETIES, INCLUDING THE LATEST TRIAD SOCIETY KNOWN IN HONG KONG, THE CHUK LUEN BONG, A TAIWAN BASED SOCIETY.

''THE FEEDBACK FROM PERSONS ATTENDING THE COURSE HAS INDICATED THAT THERE IS MORE RESPONSE TO ATTENDING THE COURSE THAN WE HAD ENVISAGED, WHICH IS MOST WELCOME, AND THE DEMAND FOR ATTENDING IS ALREADY MORE THAN WE CAN OFFER.

MR WEBSTER ADMITTED THAT THE COURSE ALONE DID NOT QUALIFY THOSE ATTENDING AS EXPERTS.

''IT IS REALISED AND APPRECIATED THAT THE NEXT STEP IS TO BE ACCEPTED BY THE COURTS AND HERE AGAIN WE ARE GIVING ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN RELATION TO EVIDENCE IN COURT. IT IS TO BE HOPED THAT ALL THOSE ATTENDING THE COURSE WILL IN DUE COURSE BECOME ACCEPTED AS EXPERTS BY THE COURTS.

**WE DON'T INTEND TO LET PEOPLE DO THE COURSE AND THEN LEAVE THEM ALONE. WE INTEND TO RECALL THEM AT 12 MONTHLY INTERVALS TO UPDATE THEM AND REFRESH THEM OF TRIAD MATTERS.''

FOLLOWING A SERIOUS OUTBREAK OF GANG VIOLENCE IN KOWLOON IN EARLY 1983 THE FORCE HAD CONDUCTED AN IN DEPTH REVIEW AND PRESENTED A REPORT TO THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

/THE REPORT