XN000022-1987-10-17 — Page 7

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1987

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STANLEY PRISON DOG UNIT INSTALLED

PRISON DOG SERVICE 19 WELL RECOGNISED AS AN EFFECTIVE AND FLEXIBLE MEANS TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, THE COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR CHAN WA-SHEK, BAID DURING AN INAUGURATION

OF THE DEPARTMENT'S DOG UNIT AT STANLEY TODAY (SATURDAY).

THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DOG UNIT IS A TRIAL SCHEME AS PART OF THE SECURITY SERVICES IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS. IT WILL INITIALLY SERVE STANLEY PRISON AND THE RESULT WILL BE REVIEWED AFTER A YEAR.

MR CHAN SAID DOGS' DETERRENCE VALUE ON PERIMETER PATROL, DETECTION AND INTERCEPTION ABILITIES ARE WELL RENOWNED. THEY ARE PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN ASSISTING THE ESCORT OF VIOLENT PRISONERS AND DETECTION OF CONTRABANDS,

"ALTHOUGH THIS DOG UNIT IS TO BE PUT ON A TRIAL RUN FOR ONE YEAR AT STANLEY PRISON, I AM CONFIDENT THAT. WITH PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS, THE UNIT WILL BE ABLE TO SECURE A FIRM GROUND FOR ITSELF," MR CHAN SAID.

HE THANKED ALL THE PARTIES WHICH HAVE HELPED THE DEPARTMENT IN FORMING THE UNIT, ESPECIALLY THE BRITISH ARMY, *THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OP CRUELTY то ANIMALS AND THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.

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THE INAUGURATION OF THE DOG UNIT ALSO MARKED THE GRADUATION CSD STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY TRAINED это BE QUALIFIED DOG HANDLERS.

THE GRADUATES RECEIVED CERTIFICATES FROM THE GUEST OF HONOUR, LIEUTENANT COLONEL PAUL JEPSON OF THE HONG KONG DEFENCE ANIMAL SUPPORT UNIT, ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS.

SIX ALSATIANS, DONATED BY THE ARMY TO THE CSD, WERE ALSO FORMALLY HANDED OVER ON THE OCCASION.

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