XN000022-1986-07-09 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986

HE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

* FEAR OF REPRISAL:

* NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE POLICE WOULD GIVE SUFFICIENT PROTECTION TO THE PUBLIC IF THEY REPORT THE CRIMES :

* THE BELIEF (RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY) THAT

SOME MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FORCE WORK HAND-IN-GLOVE WITH TRIAD MEMBERS SO THAT IF THE PUBLIC WERE TO REPORT SUCH CRIMES TO THE POLICE. THEY MAY BE VICTIMISED BY THE POLICE: AND

* NOT ENOUGH HAS BEEN DONE BY THE POLICE TO FACILITATE THE REPORTING OF THESE CRIMES.

MR LEE SAID FEAR OF REPRISAL COULD AND WOULD BE REMOVED IF THE POLICE COULD RECTIFY THE OTHER THREE MATTERS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS TIME FOR THE POLICE TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT ITS OWN DEFICIENCIES AND TRY TO IMPROVE ON THEM.

HE SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD START BY MAKING IT EASIER FOR THE PUBLIC TO REPORT TRIAD-RELATED CRIMES. FOR EXAMPLE, BY HAVING A HOT LINE AS SUGGESTED BY THE HONG KONG BAR ASSOCIATION.

THE POLICE MUST ALSO DISPEL THE BELIEF THAT THEY WERE WORKING HAND-IN-GLOVE WITH TRIAD MEMBERS BY DOING MORE TO SEEK OUT ALL THE BAD ELEMENTS WITHIN THE FORCE AND BRING THEM TO COURT.

+AND FURTHER, THEY SHOULD ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT AS SOON AS THEY REPORT THESE CRIMES, THEY WILL, IF THEY DO REQUEST, RECEIVE IMMEDIATE PROTECTION FROM THE POLICE WHICH WILL CONTINUE EVEN AFTER THE CULPITS HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH BY LAW,+ HE SAID.

MR LEE SAID HE WAS SURE THAT WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS THE PUBLIC WOULD BE MUCH MORE READY TO REPORT THESE CRIMES AND GIVE EVIDENCE AT THE TRIAL OF TRIAD MEMBERS.

HE SAID IF AFTER THESE IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE POWERS OF THE POLICE WERE INSUFFICIENT TO ENABLE THEM TO SECURE CONVICTIONS OF GUILTY TRIAD MEMBERS WITHOUT THE PROPOSED ADDITIONAL POWERS, THEN THE PROPOSALS COULD BE CONSIDERED.

/+BUT EVEN

L