XN000022-1987-07-08 — Page 40

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987

38

NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD OFFICES SYSTEM WORKS WELL

THE GREAT ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE OFFICES SYSTEM, WITH OPERATING HOURS ADJUSTED TO REFLECT PUBLIC DEMAND, IS THAT DIVISIONAL COMMANDERS HAVE MORE MEN AVAILABLE FOR BEAT PATROL AND CAN DEPLOY THEM WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON POON CHI-FAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR JEAFFRESON SAID A REVIEW COMPLETED IN 1985 ON THE SCHEME REVEALED THAT, THROUGH MORE EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT OF MEN AND RESOURCES, THE NEW SCHEME HAD ENHANCED THE OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POLICE FORCE IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST CRIME.

COVERAGE OF THE FORMER NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE UNIT AREAS, IN WHICH THE UNITS WERE MANNED 24 HOURS A DAY, HAD NOT DECREASED AND PUBLIC CRITICISM OF THE NEW NEIGHBOUR POLICE OFFICES SYSTEM HAD BEEN SLIGHT, HE ADDED.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT WITH THE INSTALLATION OF EXTERNAL DIRECT-LINE TELEPHONES, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD NOW COMMUNICATE IMMEDIATELY WITH POLICE EVEN IF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE OFFICE WAS UNATTENDED.

THE CONTROL CENTRE COULD THEN, AS NECESSARY, CO-ORDINATE A QUICK RESPONSE FROM THE POLICEMEN PATROLLING IN THE VICINITY, USING THE BEAT RADIO SYSTEM, HE SAID.

TO STRENGTHEN CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNMENT AIMED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE CO-ORDINATORS, ALL SERGEANTS, TO AROUND 140 FROM THE PRESENT 82.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID A SECOND REVIEW OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE SCHEME WAS NEARLY COMPLETE AFTER SUGGESTIONS BY SOME DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES THAT ANOTHER LOOK SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE SCHEME.

BUT MR JEAFFRESON SAID IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WOULD BE RECOMMENDED GIVEN THE FAVOURABLE FINDINGS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE OFFICES SCHEME.

/39

Page 40Page 41