XN000022-1987-02-07 — Page 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1987

CASTLE PEAK POLICE STATION OPENED

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THE NEW CASTLE PEAK DIVISIONAL POLICE STATION IS THE FORERUNNER IN A SERIES OF POLICE STATION PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP POLICE TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE REGIONAL COMMANDER, NEW TERRITORIES, MR RICHARD SMALLS HAW, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE STATION'S OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY, MR SMALLS HAW SAID TWO MORE POLICE STATIONS WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN TUEN MUN IN THE COMING YEARS TO MEET THE GROWING NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT.

NOTING THAT THE GROWTH OF THE NT HAD BEEN DRAMATIC IN RECENT YEARS -- WITH THE POPULATION OF TUEN MUN RISING BY 138 PER CENT BETWEEN 1981 AND 1986 - MR SMALLS HAW EMPHASISED THE NEED FOR AN EQUIVALENT EXPANSION OF POLICE MANPOWER AND FACILITIES.

''IT WAS ONLY IN APRIL 1980 THAT TUEN MUN BECOME A SEPARATE POLICE DISTRICT, HAVING PREVIOUSLY BEEN PART OF YUEN LONG, AND A MERE FIVE YEARS AGO THE PRESENT TUEN MUN DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS BUILDING WAS OPENED, MR SMALLS HAW RECALLED.

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THE NEW CASTLE PEAK DIVISION, WHICH HAS A POPULATION OF SOME 94 000, WOULD BE THE SCENE OF MUCH DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE, WITH FURTHER AMBITIOUS RECLAMATION PROJECTS AND A GROWTH IN BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

THE AREA WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION CENTRE, WITH WORKS IN CONNECTION WITH THE LRT PROJECT VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE MR SMALLS HAW SAID, ADDING THAT THE DISTRICT ALSO HAD AN EXTENSIVE RURAL AREA TO POLICE, AS WELL AS THE FLOATING POPULATION IN CASTLE PEAK BAY, AND THE NEEDS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO CATER FOR.

GIVING HIS ASSURANCE THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES POLICE WERE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN GOOD LAW AND ORDER, MR SMALLS HAW SAID THAT REPORTED CRIMES IN 1986 HAD DECREASED FROM 22 882 TO 20 047, OR 12.4 PER CENT, WHEN COMPARED WITH 1985.

THIS WAS THE LOWEST FIGURE SINCE 1981, AND WAS ACHIEVED DESPITE THE ENORMOUS INCREASES IN POPULATION, HE OBSERVED.

/SIGNIFICANT DECREASES