XN000022-1989-07-01 — Page 6

SATURDAY, JULY 1. 1989

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ROYAL HK POLICE REVIEW 1988 RELEASED

*

ROYAL RECORD

THE YEAR 1988 SAW SOME EXCELLENT ACHIEVEMENTS BY THE HONG KONG POLICE FORCE WITH A REDUCTION IN OVERALL CRIME. A YEAR FOR DRUG SEIZURES AND NEUTRALISATION OF HEROIN MANUFACTURING PLANTS, PLUS A SERIES OF SIGNIFICANT BUILDING PROGRAMMES AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS WHICH WILL ASSIST THE FORCE TO MERT ITS COMMITMENTS UP TO THE YEAR 2000 AND BEYOND.

POLICE, MR

SOME

RAYMON

THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF ANNING. IN THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE REVIEW 1988, WHICH WAS RELEASED TODAY (SATURDAY).

ON THE CRIME FRONT, MR ANNING SAID THAT THE 2.5 PER CENT DROP IN REPORTED CRIME WAS A WELCOME REVERSAL. AND MEANT THAT THE CRIME STATE HAD RETURNED TO THE LEVEL AT WHICH IT STOOD AT THE END OF 1981.

WAS

"WHEN VIEWED IN TERMS OF THE CRIME RATE PER 100, 000 POPULATION THE DECREASE IN OUR CRIME LEVEL (DESPITE THE POPULATION INCREASE) EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT, AND MEANS THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES OF THE SAFEST LITIES IN THE WORLD.

то

BE ONE

11 THERE WERE REDUCTIONS IN QUICK CASH CRIME. HOMICIDES, SNATCHING. PICKPOCKETING AND SHOP THEFT. INDEED SNATCHING RECORDED THE LOWEST FIGURE SINCE THE TURN OF THE DECADE, AND SHOP THEFT REDUCED TO 15.3 CASES A DAY, SAID THE COMMISSIONER, ADDING THAT THE CRIME DETECTION RATE REMAINED HIGH AT 46.5 PER CENT.

HOWEVER. MR ANNING SAID THAT VIOLENT CRIME AND ALL CATEGORIES OF ROBBERIES, OTHER THAN BANK ROBBERIES, SHOWED INCREASES, AND THE NUMBER OF GENUINE FIREARMS SEIZED ALSO ROSE FROM SEVEN CASES IN 1987 TO 19 LAST YEAR.

BURGLARIES, TOO, ROSE SLIGHTLY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1985,

HE ADDED.

POINTING OUT THAT DRUG ENFORCEMENT ACTION HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AT A HIGH LEVEL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE COMISSIONER SAID THAT A PROPOSED NEW LEGISLATION WHICH AIMED AT SEQUESTRATING THE ASSETS OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS WOULD ALSO PROVIDE THE FORCE WITH A USEFUL TOOL.

ON THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, MR ANNING SAID THE MARINE POLICE HAD BEEN KEPT BUSY WITH THE CONTINUED INFLUX, INCLUDING A 25 PER CENT RISE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ENTERING THE TERRITORY FROM CHINA IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 1988. AND THE ARRIVAL OF 18.446 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

+

"WE WERE ADDITIONALLY CALLED UPON ΤΟ PROVIDE MANAGEMENT AND STAFFING FOR A DETENTION CENTRE AT ERSKINE CAMP AND A REGUGEE CAMP AT PILLAR POINT. THE POLICE CHIEF SAID.

M

ON THE TRAFFIC FRONT, MR ANNING SAID THE FIGURES FOR ACCIDENTS CAUSING DEATH AND INJURY LEVELLED OFF AS COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THOUGH THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN FATALITIES.

THE POLICE