TNAG-0687-FCO40-836-Disturbances-by-police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 10

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the

some members of the public that law and order in the community at large has not really improved despite many statistics which claimed to have shown a decrease in

the crime rate.

4.

The Fublic accepted the popular belief that corruption was inherent in the Administration and all government departments. It was possible therefore, that every policeman was involved either directly or indirectly, voluntarily

or as forced by circumstances. The question was whether the society could afford to pay the price for the continuous investigation of past corruption which would almost certainly result in the in erdiction and conviction of the majority of the Force! They pointed out that already many policemen serving at long ok, Taumatei, and wongtaison Folice Stations were charge with corruption and graft, others at Shamshuipo and kowloon City were under investigation and it was rumoured that policemen at the Kwun Tong lolice Station were also under investigation. The situation might develop when all Folice Stations would become completely unmanned and there would be no one present to maintain law and order. The triau elements, too, would certainly seize the opportunity and rein.tate themselves. If all these should happen, then it

would be the public who would stana to suffer. They believed in the traditional Chinese concept of letting y-gones be by- gones, other than upholding justice in its legal sense. They agreed with Mr. Cater, the Commissioner of 1040, that to fight crime, corruption must also be suppressed and eradicaten, but whilst they would have vai ted a clean Folice force und suppressed syndicated corruption they were not in unanimous support of thorough investigation of past offences if such would result in any social upheaval that would have a direct effect on their own security. The ublic was oragmatic, pernaps too pragmatic in that what they were most concerna with was social security and social stability and if the

rock-bottom norale of the Force would likely disture that

stability, then the lolice morale must be boost up, or, at

least, not allowed to deteriorate. For this reason some of

/them

}