XN000022-1985-07-26 — Page 7

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1985

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NO AUTHORITY TO STEP OUTSIDE LAW, POLICE TOLD

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DESPITE THE LOW-PROFILE PARAMILITARY CAPABILITY WHICH EXISTS IN THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, NO INDIVIDUAL OR UNIT EVER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO STEP OUTSIDE THE LAW.

THIS POINT WAS EMPHASISED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY AN ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MR JOHN MACDONALD, IN ADDRESSING THE PASSING OUT PARADE MOUNTED BY GOLF COMPANY AT THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT IN FANLING.

MR MACDONALD SUGGESTED THE MEN SHOULD VIEW WITH CAUTION A PIECE OF RECENT CRITICISM IN THE MEDIA IN WHICH THE FORCE WAS DESCRIBED AS A 'SELF-STYLED PARAMILITARY DISCIPLINED FORCE? WHICH, SINCE THE EVENTS OF 1977 HAS BEEN A LAW UNTO ITSELF.''

''THIS CAPABILITY WAS NOT SOUGHT, BUT IMPOSED BY CIRCUMSTANCES AND FOUND ESSENTIAL IN THE MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER AND IS ACCEPTED BY THE PUBLIC AS NECESSARY, MR MACDONALD REMINDED THE PTU TRAINEES.

**NOTWITHSTANDING THAT WE TEND TO ADOPT A PARAMILITARY STRUCTURE WHEN IN AN INTERNAL SECURITY POSTURE, NO INDIVIDUAL OR UNIT IS ABOVE THE LAW.

ON THE CONTRARY, YOU ARE TOTALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO IT, TO THE COURTS WHICH ADMINISTER IT AND TO THE VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS AND PROCEDURES THAT ENSURE DISCIPLINE IS MAINTAINED.'

HE TOLD THE MEN THAT THEY MUST MAKE VERY EFFORT TO SUSTAIN THE HIGH STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE THEY HAD ACHIEVED DURING THEIR 12-WEEK TRAINING COURSE, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE FAILING THEMSELVES AND IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY IF THEY TOLERATED ANY DETERIORATION.

THEY MUST CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES WITH TACT, FORBEARANCE AND, ABOVE ALL, COURTESY, HE SAID.

**YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO REACT IN SUCH MANNER TO ALL, EVEN A PERSON CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF COMMITTING AN OFFENCE, AND I KNOW YOU RECOGNISE YOUR ROLE AS SERVANTS OF THE COMMUNITY WHOSE CONFIDENCE NONE OF US CAN FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY.''

WITHOUT

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