XN000022-1991-02-06 — Page 6

- 5

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1991

(C) A PATTERN OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT WOULD BE ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION OF THREE OR MORE SPECIFIED OFFENCES WITHIN 10 YEARS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE PROSECUTION. A SYNDICATE ENGAGED IN BOOKMAKING, LOANSHARKING TO CUSTOMERS AND ASSAULTS AS PART OF THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE DEBTS OF UNSUCCESSFUL PUNTERS WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS;

(D)

(E)

POLICE FORCE

THERE WILL BE PROVISION FOR THE FORFEITURE OF ASSETS SIMILAR TO THE PROVISIONS IN THE DRUG TRAFFICKING (RECOVERY OF PROCEEDS) ORDINANCE; AND

IT WILL BE AN OFFENCE TO "LAUNDER" ANY PROPERTY OF ANY DESCRIPTION INTENTIONALLY ON BEHALF OF A CRIMINAL ORGANISATION.

MANY MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OF THE POLICE. I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS. AS I AM SURE WILL BE THE POLICE. SOME MEMBERS HAVE, HOWEVER, ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE ADEQUACY OF POLICE MANNING AND EQUIPMENT. AS REGARDS POLICE MANPOWER I WOULD SAY FIRST OF ALL THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT RECENT PROBLEMS OF RECRUITMENT STEM FROM POOR MORALE IN THE POLICE FORCE. THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT MORALE IN THE POLICE FORCE REMAINS HIGH; THE POLICE CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES WITH DEDICATION, DETERMINATION AND COURAGE WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE TRUE MEASURE OF MORALE. NOR HAS WASTAGE INCREASED. IT WAS ABOUT THE SAME IN 1990 AS IN 1989,

LOWER THAN IN THE CIVIL SERVICE AS A WHOLE, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN IN MOST OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN 1990 WAS A PROBLEM OF RECRUITMENT AT THE JUNTOR POLICE OFFICER LEVEL, CAUSED PRIMARILY BY A VERY TIGHT LABOUR MARKET. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE NUMBER OF JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS FELL BY ABOUT 650 IN THE COURSE OF 1990; THIS, I BELIEVE, IS EVIDENCE THAT JPO PAY AND CONDITIONS SERVICE HAD LOST THEIR COMPETITIVE EDGE. WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO RESOLVE THAT PROBLEM. THE PAY AWARD FOR JPOS ANNOUNCED IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR HAS RECOGNISED THE SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POLICE ON THE STREETS.

DESPITE THESE PROBLEMS OF RECRUITMENT, HONG KONG HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST POLICEMEN TO POPULATION RATIOS IN THE WORLD. THE POLICE HAVE MAINTAINED AN ADEQUATE PRESENCE ON THE STREETS THROUGH REDEPLOYMENT., CIVILIANISATION, AN ON-GOING PROGRAMME OF AUTOMATION AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND INCREASED USE OF AUXILIARY POLICEMEN. I SHOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASSURE MEMBERS THAT, BY ANY STANDARDS, THE RHKPF IS A WELL-EQUIPPED POLICE FORCE. TO GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES, WE ARE NOW NEARING COMPLETION OF A MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE MARINE POLICE INVOLVING THE PURCHASE OF 16 NEW BOATS AT A TOTAL COST OF $350 M; NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE COMMAND, CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS, AND TO ASSIST CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE AND SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS; AND TO MEET THE THREAT OF THE INCREASING USE OF POWERFUL GUNS BY CRIMINALS, IMPROVED BULLET-PROOF VESTS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED, AND ARMS AMMUNITION REQUIREMENTS ARE NOW BEING REVIEWED.

NEW

AND

/CONCLUSION