TNAG-0688-FCO40-837-Disturbances-by-police-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 22

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HOFO 016/9

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NG KONG 9909002

09

HKK 380/16.

TLY. SHAGD

12 DEC 1977

NO DISTRIBUTION

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CONFIDENTIAL

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON TELNO 1046

OF 9 DECEMBER 1977.

PERSONAL FOR BRAY FROM ROBERTS.

NR, YOUR TELNO HK 1263 CF 8 DECEMBER.

THE PROPOSED FIRST FILM OF THE SERIES WAS WELL PRODUCED AND COMPELLING. ITS EFFECT WAS NOT ONLY TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE WORK OF ICAC BUT ALSO TO PRESENT THE POLICE IN AN UNFAVOURABLE WAY.

2. THE FILM WAS FIRST SEEN BY A GROUP OF SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS, MOST OF WHOM WERE APPREHENSIVE OF ITS POSSIBLE EFFECT ON THE

POLICE.

3. IT WAS THEN VIEWED BY A GROUP OF SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE ADVISED ME THAT HE AND THESE OFFICERS BELIEVED THAT THE SHOWING OF THIS FILM, AND OF TWO OTHERS IN THE SERIES WHICH DEPICTED COPRUPTION IN THE FORCE, WOULD HAVE A DAMAGING EFFECT ON POLICE MORALE.

4. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WAS CONSULTED. THE OPINION OF MEMBERS WAS THAT, IN VIEW OF THE LIKELIHOOD OF FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE REPUTATION AND SELF CONFIDENCE OF THE FORCE, THESE FILMS SHOULD NOT BE SHOWN. SIR Y K KAN AND CATER BOTH AGREED WITH THIS VIEW.

5. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE'S ASSESSMENT, WITH WHICH I HAVE NO REASON TO DISAGREE, IS THAT THE FORCE IS CARRYING OUT ITS DUTIES IN A BETTER SPIRIT THAN FOR SOME TIME. HE ASSERTS THAT MOST OF ITS MEMBERS ARE ANXIOUS TO EARN A BETTER REPUTATION FOR THE FORCE

BY DOING THEIR DUTY WELL.

6. IN THIS SENSE MORALE CAN BE SAID TO BE IMPROVING. BUT THE FORCE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ICAC REMAINS FRAGILE AND I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST TAKE ALL REASONABLE STEPS TO PREVENT FURTHER FRICTION BETWEEN THEM. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE SHOWING OF THESE FILMS WOULD HAVE FURTHER WORSENED AN UNHAPPY RELATIONSHIP AND WOULD HAVE BEEN SEEN BY THE FORCE AS A CALCULATED ACT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO REPRIMAND THE FORCE.

7. WITH THE AGREEMENT OF CATER AND OF TVB, THE REMAINDER OF THE ICAC SERIES WILL BE SHOWN, BUT WITHOUT THE POLICE EPISODES. THIS WILL, I HOPE, DEMONSTRATE THAT ICAC IS FIRMLY IN BUSINESS.

8. THE ICAC COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED AND THE RANK AND FILE HAVE SUBMITTED A LIST OF GRIEVANCES TO IT.

S. I BELIEVE THAT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE FORCE HAS COOLED AND THAT THE RISK OF SERIOUS DISSENSION IN IT HAS DIMINISHED. BUT THERE WAS GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT THE SHOWING OF THE ICAC FILMS WHICH INVOLVED THE POLICE WAS UNTIMELY.

ROBERTS

ANNN