XN000022-1992-12-21 — Page 2

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1992

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POLICE PLEDGE FOR BETTER SERVICE

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REAL

THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE WILL STRIVE TO RESPOND TO ALL EMERGENCY 999 CALLS WITHIN AN AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME OF NINE MINUTES IN HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, AND 15 MINUTES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

CHIEF STAFF OFFICER. POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS BRANCH, MR ERIC LOCKEYEAR MADE THIS PLEDGE AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (MONDAY).

"THE RESPONSE TIME IS MEASURED FROM THE TIME A REPORT IS RECEIVED AT THE REGIONAL COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTRE (RCCC) 999 CONSOLE UNTIL A POLICE OFFICER ARRIVES AT THE SCENE.

"REAL EMERGENCY IS ONE WHERE IT IS CONSIDERED THAT A DELAYED RESPONSE WOULD POSE A SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE. PROPERTY OR THE PUBLIC PEACE, MR LOCKEYEAR SAID.

UP TO THE END OF NOVEMBER, 318,042 CALLS TO THE THREE RCCCs, DAY.

THE POLICE HAVE THIS YEAR RECORDED GIVING AN AVERAGE OF 953 CALLS A

THIS IS ALREADY A ONE PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE OF CALLS RECEIVED IN THE WHOLE OF LAST YEAR.

TOTAL NUMBER

THE POLICE ALSO MADE A PLEDGE ON THE TIME ONE WILL NEED то OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF NO CRIMINAL CONVICTION (CNCC).

"CERTIFICATES OF CNCC ISSUED BY THE FORCE SOLELY IN CONNECTION WITH A PERSON'S APPLICATION FOR A VISA TO VISIT OR RESIDE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY WILL BE PROVIDED WITHIN FOUR CALENDAR WEEKS AFTER AN APPLICATION IS LODGED, MR LOCKEYEAR SAID.

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THESE PLEDGES BY THE POLICE ARE IN LINE WITH A GOVENMENT SCHEME LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER WITH A VIEW TO UPGRADING THE ADMINISTRATION'S SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

"THE OBJECTIVE OF OUR PLEDGE IS TO IMPROVE THE SERVICES WE DELIVER TO THE PUBLIC BY ENHANCING OPENNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY AS WELL AS BY DEVELOPING A CLIENT-BASED CULTURE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

"THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE PLEDGES, THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, WHAT STANDARDS HAVE BEEN SET, WHETHER SUCH STANDARDS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED, AND WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ARB NOT," MR LOCKEYEAR SAID.

THESE STANDARDS WOULD BE MONITORED INTERNALLY, AND THE RESULTS OF WHICH WOULD BE PUBLISHED ANNUALLY, HE ADDED.

A TOTAL OF 500,000 COPIES OF A LEAFLET IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE OUTLINING THE POLICE'S PLEDGES, WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM TODAY FROM ALL POLICE REPORT ROOMS, NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE OFFICES, POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICES, AND THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION DISTRICT OFFICES.

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