TNAG-0815-FCO40-1021-Visit-of-police-advisers-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 68

Mr Murpety

MI

HKGD

46

SECRETAMEN

for

Ban

HKK 382/1

13/vi

RL SVE

7 ↑ JUN 1978

Mr Thompson

Flag A

142

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE

No

Ren

1. Mr J W D Crane, the Home Office Inspector of Constabulary who has recently completed a wide-ranging review of the organization, management and operation of the RHKPF, called on Mr Cortazzi on 9 June. The Overseas Police Adviser and I were also present.

2. The recommendations made by Mr Crane and his team following their review are summarized in my submission of 7 June. Most of them have been accepted by the Governor and many are already being implemented. The main points which arose during the

discussion are set out below.

General

3. Mr Crane's view was that the problems which had arisen within the RHKPF were largely due to the very rapid expansion which had taken place in recent years. The RHKPF had been transformed from an ordinary Police Force into a modern metropolitan constabulary but control, administration and man-management had not kept pace and morale had inevitably suffered. Mr Crane was, however, reasonably optimistic about the prospects for the future. The RHKPF had reached high levels of efficiency in some areas and was basically sound. The recommendations his team had made were being implemented with commendable speed and there had already been a discernible improvement in morale. The appointment of eleven new officers from the UK to key positions within the RHKPF should help this process.

Corruption

4. Mr Crane had no doubt that corruption still existed at all levels within the RHKPF but was equally sure that it was no longer widespread. In his view it would not again become a major problem provided the Independent Commission Against Corruption maintained its activities. One of the keys to future progress was to reduce the opportunities for corruption by revising poor or

SECRET