XN000022-1986-01-16 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1986

CS VISITS MARINE POLICE

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VIGILANCE AGAINST THE EVER-PRESENT THREAT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION INTO THE TERRITORY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE MARINE POLICE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, WAS TOLD TODAY (THURSDAY).

THE TOPIC WAS RAISED DURING A DEMONSTRATION OF THE CAPABILITIES OF THE SMALL BOAT UNIT WHICH SPEARHEADS POLICE ACTIVITIES IN COUNTERING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN DEEP BAY.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT 12,616 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA WERE APPREHENDED IN 1995, COMPARED WITH 9,653 IN THE YEAR BEFORE. HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO LET-UP IN POLICE EFFORTS IN THIS RESPECT DURING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S VISIT TO THE MARINE POLICE REGION BEGAN WHEN HE BOARDED A NEW MARK 111 DAMEN POLICE LAUNCH AT QUEEN'S PIER, ACCOMPANIED BY THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, MR JAMES MORRIN THE MARINE REGIONAL COMMANDER, MR JOHN MACDONALD, AND THE SENIOR STAFF OFFICER/OPERATIONS, MR VINCE WALSH,

HE WAS BRIEFED ON HARBOUR POLICING BY THE DIVISIONAL COMMANDER, HARBOUR, MR KENNETH MACKENZIE. AMONG THE SUBJECTS DISCUSSED WERE THE PROPOSED REPLACEMENT OF THE HARBOUR VESSELS WITH SEVEN NEW PATROL CRAFT, INCREASED TRAFFIC THROUGH THE HARBOUR, PARTICULARLY THE WESTERN SIDE, AND POLICING IN TYPHOON SHELTERS.

SIR DAVID AND HIS PARTY LATER BOARDED ANOTHER DAMEN LAUNCH FOR TAI LAM CHUNG WHERE HE WAS GIVEN A DETAILED BRIEFING BY THE DIVISIONAL COMMANDER, WEST, MR RICHARD BELL ON THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOCAL MARINE BASE AND WAS INTRODUCED TO THE SMALL BOAT UN IT BY THE OFFICER IN CHARGE, MR WALLACE MURISON. SBU EQUIPMENT AND BASE FACILITIES AS WELL AS THE NEED TO EXPAND THE ROLE OF THE UNIT TO INCLUDE ANTI-CRIME AND CROWD CONTROL RESPONSIBILITIES WERE ALSO DISCUSSED.

OTHER POLICING PROBLEMS IN WEST DIVISION, PARTICULARLY THE SMUGGLING OF GOODS TO AND FROM CHINA AND THE ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING OF MINOR 11S, WERE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE CONVERSATION.

SIR DAVID ENDED HIS TOUR WITH A CALL AT DEEP BAY TO VIEW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AT THE BORDER. DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD WITH OFFICERS IN CHARGE ON THE POLICING PROBLEMS CONCERN ING ILLEGAL ARRIVALS POSED TO POLICE AND THE ARMY BY THE BUILDING OF ASH LAGOONS AT TAP SHEK KOK POWER STATION.