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5. WHILE THE AG IS SATISFIED THAT NOTHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG,
THIS SORT OF PROBLEM IS TYPICAL OF THOSE THAT ARISE BETWEEN AN
ILL-EDUCATED OR INEXPERIENCED CONSTABULARY, OFTEN INADEQUATELY SUPERVISED, DEALING WITH A SIMILARLY ILL-EDUCATED AND OFTEN ROUGH
CRIMINAL POPULATION. THE PROBLEMS ARE COMPOUNDED BY A LEGAL SYSTEM ALIEN AND UNFAMILIAR TO THE DEFENDANT AND USUALLY PRESIDED
OVER BY AN EXPATRIATE THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF AN INTERPRETER.
6. PARAS 5 AND 6 OF TUR DESCRIBED TWO OF THE STEPS ALREADY TAKEN,
A THIRD WAS TO SET UP A UMELCO COMMITTEE TO WHICH IS SUBMITTED
A SUMMARY OF ALL COMPLAINTS MADE AGAINST THE POLICE AND THE ACTION
TAKEN ON THEM. THE COMMITTEE HAS ACCESS TO THE POLICE FILES AND
THE SPOT-CHECKS THEY INITIATE HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN SALUTORY.
IN ADDITION THE COMMITTEE IS AVAILABLE TO ANY MEMBER OF THE
PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO MAKE A COMPLAINT.
7. A FURTHER STEP HAS BEEN THE PROGRESSIVE STRENGTHENING BY THE
CP OF THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS (CAPO) AT POLICE
HEADQUARTERS, AND THE REMOVAL OF THE INVESTIGATION OF MOST COMPLAINTS FROM DIVISIONAL TO HEADQUARTERS HANDS.
8. ONE OF MR CRANE'S RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH HAS BEEN ACCEPTED
BY THE COMMISSIONER IS THAT THE CAPO SHOULD BE CONSIDERABLY
FURTHER STRENGTHENED AND PUT UNDER THE CHARGE OF A CHIEF
SUPERINTENDENT RESPONSIBLE TO THE NEW DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR
ADMINISTRATION (IE GENERAL PURDON), AND THAT THE TYPES OF
COMPLAINT TO BE INVESTIGATED OTHER THAN BY CAPO SHOULD BE STILL
FURTHER REDUCED, THESE MEASURES SHOULD IN TURN, IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE UMELCO COMMITTEE.
9. HAVING SAID ALL THIS YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT EXCESSIVE
INVESTIGATION OF FRIVOLOUS OR MALICIOUS CHARGES AGAINST
POLICEMEN DOING THEIR DUTY, COULD COMPLETELY UNDERMINE THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND THE MORALE OF THE FORCE. SO A CAREFUL BALANCE
MUST BE MAINTAINED. NOR DO I SUPPOSE THAT HONG KONG IS THE
ONLY PLACE WHERE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM OCCURS.
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