XN000022-1989-10-18 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1989

LAW AND ORDER BEING MAINTAINED

THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS FOR VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE DETENTION DUTIES, THE SECRETARY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON PEGGY LAM, MR BARNES SAID THE SIZE AND VERSATILITY OF THE POLICE FORCE FORTUNATELY PERMITTED A FLEXIBLE RESPONSE TO COPE WITH VARIOUS TASKS AS AND WHEN THEY AROSE.

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WHEREAS UP TO 700 POLICE OFFICERS MAY BE CALLED UPON TO MAN OF THE VBP CAMPS EVERY DAY, THEY REPRESENT NO MORE THAN 2.6 PER CENT

COMMITMENT TO REGULAR WATCH TOTAL POLICE STRENGTH, AND THE FORCE'S AND WARD DUTIES REMAINS VERY HIGH, HE SAID.

F

MR BARNES SAID THAT CRIME RATES GENERALLY WERE NOT INCREASING.

IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, REPORTED CRIME AMOUNTED

SAME THE

PERIOD IN TO 59,445 CASES, COMPARED WITH 60,464 CASES FOR 1988, HE SAID.

"THIS IS THE LOWEST THREE-QUARTER YEAR FIGURE FOR FIVE YEARS.

·

THIS OVERALL WITHIN

TOTAL FOR 1989, VIOLENT CRIME HAS INCREASED FROM 11,939 TO 12,778 CASES.

"THIS IS REGRETTABLE AND IS NOT BEING NOT A CAUSE FOR ALARM, HE SAID.

гр

TAKEN

LIGHTLY, BUT IS

SOME OF THE INCREASE COULD BE ATTRIBUTED IN CAMPS, HE ADDED.

TO VIETNAMESE CASES

MADE POSSIBLE

OFFICERS MR BARNES ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE VBP DUTIES HAD BEEN

ONLY THROUGH CAREFUL ADJUSTMENTS TO GENERAL UNIFORM BRANCH STRENGTH AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

FOR

HE SAID THAT THE SITUATION WAS CLOSELY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

MONITORED

BY THE

BEING

MADE,

TO

ENSURE

AND IS "EVERY EFFORT HAS TO BE MADE, THAT THE FORCE IS KEPT UP TO STRENGTH," HE STRESSED.

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