ENG-1977 — Page 169

10

Public Order

JE

THE Royal Hong Kong Police Force, one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the world, is mainly responsible for maintaining public order among the territory's population of more than 4.5 million. But equally important contributions towards the safety and well-being of the community are made by the Customs and Excise Service - formerly the Preventive Service the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Prisons Department and the Fire Services Department.

Police

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The Royal Hong Kong Police Force became one of the best electronically-equipped law enforcement agencies in the world in 1977 when its second and third command and control centres in Kowloon and in Kwai Chung - went into action.

The first centre began operating on Hong Kong Island at the end of 1976 and the three centres now cover all major urban areas with a $30 million radio and computer network for fighting crime. Its major feature is a beat radio system that provides instant communication between the control centres and any unit, police vehicle or man with a beat radio. More than 1,650 men on the beat are equipped with these radios.

Before they came into use, the average time taken for the police to reach a crime scene was about six minutes. This has been cut to such an extent that, in one robbery on Hong Kong Island, one constable with a beat radio was on the scene within one minute and four others arrived in the next 60 seconds.

Other developments included the establishment late in the year of a separate police division at Hong Kong International Airport. The move is designed to keep pace with the continued growth of the airport and a new police station will be built to house the greatly increased number of men and women on duty there.

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In line with the policy of bringing the police closer to the people, 24 reporting centres were opened in urban areas during the year 14 of them operating as Neighbourhood Policing Units (NPUs). There are now 87 reporting centres, with 30 of them operating as NPUs, and 46 police stations.

In the New Territories, plans are being made to equip and man four new police stations being built in new towns. Neighbourhood Policing Units and reporting centres also are being set up as the towns grow and a new concept in policing - the Rural Policing Unit is being expanded in an effort to improve law and order in villages. In addition, constables have been posted to live and work in two villages in an experiment that could lead to the introduction of village policemen on a permanent