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HKK 380/2
EXTRACT FROM REPORT ON THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE
CONFIDENTIAL
-4
17.
Senior Officers in the Force aver that they have learned to live and cooperate with ICAC and that its activities have not affected Force morale.
18. My own view is that it would be better to recognise the fact, made abundantly clear to me during the visit not only by many junior officers, both European and Chinese, but also by members of the public that ICAC has had and still has an inhibiting influence on police confidence and therefore morale. This does not infer unwillingness to cooperate on the part of the police.but, in essence, resentment at the inquisitorial and arbitrary methods of operation.
19. I believe that it is in the interest of the Hong Kong Community, as has been fully realised, to root out corruption whether it be in the Police, Public Service or private sector, but equally that the time has come for a reassessment of objectives, of the time-scale of the operational life of ICAC in its present form and whether or not there should be a greater degree of delegation of investigation of corruption at lower levels to the Police.
20.
Another facet of ICAC activities is the re-employment of ex-Hong Kong Police Officers after retirement. There are a number in the United Kingdom at present, many with excellent service records. So long as there is any possibility of retroactive incrimination of these officers by ICAC it is difficult to offer them re-employment with confidence. I would suggest that, in fairness to the Overseas Service Resettlement Bureau and my office, which is consulted on appointments, there should be a clearance system introduced by the Secretary for the Civil Service whereby we would know exactly where we stand when considering applications by individual officers for re-employment.
21.
Although the campaign against crime may be said to have enjoyed some success, the incidence of violent crime still gives cause for concern. În the first six months of 1976, there were no less than 8495 violent crimes, reflecting a decrease of 1.7% over the last six months of 1975. However, there is still an average of 23 robberies per day (1 out of every 5 crimes is a robbery), third of which may be categorised as "street muggings". The detection rate is 18%.
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22.
It may be said that in a highly congested population of 4.5 million people, mostly living in massive urban complexes, this is not excessive in comparison with rates in other metropolitan areas in the world, but I suggest that comparisons can be misleading and never fully account for social and environmental factors.
CONFIDENTIAL
/23. The need
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