XN000022-1987-08-23 — Page 2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 1987

1

OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY ANSWER TO CRIME IN SHA TIN

5 000 EVERY MONTH IS

COPING WITH A POPULATION THAT GROWS BY BOUND TO PRESENT SPECIAL PROBLEMS FOR A POLICE DISTRICT COMMANDER.

DISTRICT COMMANDER HE CONSIDERS THE MOST

CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT JOHN GREENE, SHATIN'S

WELL, AND SITUATION SINCE 1983, KNOWS THE EFFECTIVE ANSWER LIES IN OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY.

SHATIN'S

POPULATION HAS GROWN

FROM LESS THAN 50 A MID-1970S TO ALMOST 500 000 IN TODAY'S NEW TOWN, AND IN THERE WILL BE MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN THE PRESENT BOUNDARIES.

000 IN THE FEW YEARS DISTRICT'S

THAT POLICING THIS TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN SO SHORT A TIME MEANS PROCEDURES HAVE TO BE

OR ADAPTED TO MEET CHANGING NEEDS,

MR GREENE EXPLAINS.

DEVELOPED

ONE

HOUSING

AS PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS

ESTATE { LEK

-

WHICH

THERE ARE

IS ΤΟ

ALSO THREE

BECOME

A

FOR EXAMPLE, IN 1976 THERE WAS ONLY

WELL AS YUEN) IN SHATIN. NOW THERE ARE 13, AND ALSO A NUMBER OF TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS.

IN TAIPO ESTATES AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS SEPARATE DISTRICT NEXT YEAR.

THE CONTINUAL MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE GIVES RISE TO MAIN CRIME PROBLEM BURGLARY, AND MR GREENE PLACES THE ON "OUTSIDERS".

THE DISTRICT'S BLAME MAINLY

ESTATES AS NEW PEOPLE ARE COMING

SAYS MR GREENE.

"THERE TENDS TO BE GREAT CONFUSION IN HOUSING TENANTS MOVE IN NEIGHBOURS DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER, AND GOING, AND THE WHOLE PLACE IS IN A STATE OF FLUX,

THERE CAN BE SOME FORM OF

ORGANISATION IN THESE BURGLARIES,

THEY ARE BUT IN OTHERS THE OFFENDERS MAY BE ACTING ALONE. INVARIABLY FROM OUTSIDE SHATIN.

MEMBERS, BUT THE

MADE, MANY ARRESTS HAVE BEEN

DISTRICT COMMANDER

BOTH OF

INDIVIDUALS AND GANG FEELS THE PROBLEM "WILL NOT

SETTLE DOWN" UNTIL THE POPULATION STABILISES.

IN

UP BUILDING

AND ALL

VISITED

ARE OFFICERS

ACTIVE

SPIRIT COMMUNITY RELIANCE AS A DETERRENT AGAINST CRIME AND, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, NEW GROUPS OF RESIDENTS MOVING INTO HOUSING ESTATES HAVE BEEN BY POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICERS.

IT IS A TIME-CONSUMING JOB, BUT MR GREENE CONSIDERS IT IS WORTHWHILE.

WELL

WHAT ΤΟ "EVERYONE IS BRIEFED ON WHERE THE POLICE STATIONS ARE,

REQUIRED. THIS 15 BE ON THE ALERT FOR, AND HOW TO GET HELP IF

WELCOME IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE GET PEOPLE TO REALISE THAT THEY ARE THEY KNOW WE ARE THERE TO HELP."

ALL

AND

IN ADDITION,