XN000022-1986-09-12 — Page 13

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1986

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NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH HELPS PREVENT CRIME

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THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME HAS HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT IN PREVENTING CRIME AND ALSO FOSTERED CLOSER TIES BETWEEN NEIGHBOURS THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT OFFICER, MR ROGER GARCIA, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE SECOND PHASE OF THE DISTRICT'S NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME, MR GARCIA SAID THE CRIME RATE AT BUILDINGS UNDER THE SCHEME HAD DECREASED.

HE SAID IT WAS VERY ENCOURAGING THAT THE SCHEME HAD BEEN WELL ACCEPTED BY RESIDENTS SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION LAST YEAR.

+THE BASIC OBJECTIVE OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME IS TO MOBILISE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO HELP THEMSELVES TO DEFEAT CRIMINALS BY FORMING CLOSE-KNIT UNITS IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS,+ HE POINTED OUT.

FOUR MORE BLOCKS OF RESIDENTIAL PREMISES IN WAN CHAI HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE SCHEME'S SECOND PHASE. THEY ARE CHEONG HING BUILDING, KAM KWONG BUILDING, KING CHEUNG BUILDING AND PO MING BUILDING.

MR GARCIA EXPLAINED THAT THE SCHEME WAS DESIGNED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE POTENTIAL RISK TO PROPERTY AND TO GENERATE A STRONGER AND MORE COHESIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEIGHBOURS IN THE PREVENTION OF CRIME IN RESIDENTIAL PREMISES.

HE ALSO SAID THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH UNITS REQUIRED ASSISTANCE FROM AREA COMMITTEES, OWNERS INCORPORATIONS AND MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, IN ADDITION TO THE SUPPORT THEY RECEIVED FROM THE POLICE AND THE DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

MR GARCIA ADDED THAT PARTICIPATION REFLECTED NOT ONLY MUTUAL TRUST AND CO-OPERATION AMONG RESIDENTS BUT ALSO THEIR DETERMINATION TO FIGHT CRIME.

OTHER GUESTS OFFICIATING AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY INCLUDED

WAN CHAI THE WAN CHAI POLICE DISTRICT COMMANDER, MR LAU TO-YEE POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICER, MR LAU KIN-YEUK; ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER, MISS DONNA WONG CHAIRMAN OF THE DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, MR CHENG HOK-YIN; DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMAN MRS PEGGY LAM AND THE FIVE CHAIRMEN OF THE DISTRICT'S AREA COMMITTEES.

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