ENG-1960 — Page 238

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LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS

control, the campaign against narcotics, the prevention of night noises and pavement and street obstructions, and have suggested many other matters for Police consideration.

The importance of good relations with the public is drilled into every recruit as soon as he arrives in the Police Training School. When he has completed his initial training he is constantly reminded of his personal responsibility for improving these rela- tions. It is unendingly stressed that his smartness, efficiency, tact and impartiality in dealing with ordinary people are of the utmost importance, and he is also encouraged to take part in sporting activities between the Police and the Public. The Police Band helps to promote goodwill by playing at official functions and in the scattered villages of the New Territories as well as in the urban parks. Police patrols which transport and escort mobile teams with medical and other social services to the more distant of the New Territories villages also play their part. Other methods used to build up friendship with the public are traffic and general police exhibitions, talks on the radio, lectures to schools and organizations, and public ceremonies when monetary awards and letters of appreciation are presented to members of the public for outstanding services to the community.

During the year experimental changes in certain police methods and procedures were introduced for the benefit of the general public. One of these involved the reorganization of charge rooms in a number of police stations so that criminal matters, charge cases and all other types of reports made by the public are dealt with by separate officers. This allows a citizen's business to be handled more speedily and has stopped one source of public dissatisfaction. The lowering of some charge room benches to the level of the desks was another psychological improvement. As a result of the liaison with Kaifong Associations, new methods of controlling hawkers proved successful in many areas and removed the need for large scale arrests for minor infringements of the law. The former hostility between hawkers and police has largely dis- appeared and hawkers are now co-operating by conducting their business in a more orderly manner.

The twin towns of Victoria and Kowloon contain in their 12 square miles 80% of the population of the Colony, and a popula- tion density of 4,000 to the acre is not uncommon. Between them