XN000022-1994-12-30 — Page 8

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New title for Police Complaints Committee

The Police Complaints Committee, an independent committee appointed by the Governor to monitor the investigation of complaints against the Police, is retitled the Independent Police Complaints Council, a Government spokesman announced.

The new title is published in the Gazette today (Friday). The spokesman said the committee had proposed and the Governor had approved the new title, which would better reflect the independence of the committee in carrying out its work.

"The retitling will not affect the membership or the terms of reference of the committee," he stressed.

"As part of the measures to improve the system of handling complaints against Police officers, legislative proposals are being finalised to make the Independent Police Complaints Council a statutory body and to set out its powers more clearly," the spokesman added.

Established in January 1986, the Police Complaints Committee is chaired by Executive Councillor, Mr Denis Chang. It includes two vice- chairmen and eight members who are all non- officials and active members of the community. The Attorney General and the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints are ex-officio members.

The committee reviewed about 3,500 and 3,100 complaints investigated by the Complaints Against Police Office in 1993 and 1994 respectively, analysing and examining in detail the result of each investigation.

End/Friday, December 30, 1994