XN000022-1986-01-25 — Page 3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1986

2

26 MODEL CITIZENS PRESENTED WITH AWARDS

*****

TWENTY-SIX RESIDENTS IN SHAM SHUI PO, SELECTED AS +MODEL CITIZENS+ BY THE DISTRICT'S FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE IN RECOGNITION OF THE IR CONTRIBUTION TO COMBATTING CRIME, WERE TODAY (SATURDAY) PRESENTED WITH AWARDS.

THE +MODEL CITIZEN AWARD+ SCHEME IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF THE 1985-86 SHAM SHUI PO FIGHT CRIME CAMPAIGN AIMED AT HONOUR ING PEOPLE WHO HAD SHOWN EXCEPTIONAL BRAVERY, WISDOM OR INITIATIVE IN PREVENTING CRIME, ARRESTING CRIMINALS, ASSISTING THE POLICE OR HELPING TO MAINTAIN PEACE IN THE COMMUNITY,

OFFICIATING AT THE PRIZE-PRESENTATION CEREMONY, DISTRICT OFFICER, MR SYLVESTER TSE, WHO IS ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE LOCAL FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, PAID TRIBUTE TO THE AWARD WINNERS, NOTING THAT STORIES OF THEIR UNSELFISH BEHAVIOUR HAD PROVIDED EXCELLENT EXAMPLES OF CIVIC-MINDEDNESS AND ANTI-CRIME CONSCIOUSNESS FOR THE PUBLIC.

IN HIS ADDRESS, MR TSE SAID THAT THE OVERALL CRIME STATISTICS IN THE DISTRICT HAD RISEN ONLY MARGINALLY BY 1.2 PER CENT FROM 7 001 REPORTED CASES IN 1984 TO 7 088 LAST YEAR.

+OF THESE, BURGLARIES AND THEFT INCREASED BY 2.1 PER CENT FROM 919 TO 938 CASES. HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY AS BURGLARY CASES IN DOMESTIC PREMISES NOTABLY CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN THE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

+NONETHELESS, ONE GRATIFYING ASPECT WORTH MENTIONING IS THE REMARKABLE INCREASE IN 1985 IN THE NUMBER OF CASES WHERE RESIDENTS' ASSISTANCE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN CURBING CRIME, WHICH DEMONSTRATED THAT THE FIGHT CRIME MESSAGE DID PAY,+ HE SAID.

+ I HOPE THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME, JOINTLY LAUNCHED BY THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE POLICE WILL FURTHER AROUSE HOUSEHOLDS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-VIGILANCE AND MUTUAL COOPERATION, MR TSE CONTINUED.

DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMAN, MR STEPHEN CHENG THE POLICE DISTRICT COMMANDER (SHAM SHUI PO), MR ́TSANG YAM-PUÏ AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS WERE ALSO PRESENT TO GIVE PRIZES AND COMMENDATION CERTIFICATES TO THE AWARD WINNERS.

FOLLOWING THE CEREMONY, A TWO-HOUR ENTERTAINMENT SHOW COMPRISING ACROBATICS, SINGING, DRAMAS, DANCING AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES WAS STAGED.

13