ENG-1982 — Page 192

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PUBLIC ORDER

police public relations, rose to 621 865, surpassing last year's record total of 544 938. As before, the majority of these requests - more than 14.1 per cent - was for help in matters not related to crime. These were mainly for general assistance such as settling domestic disputes, accidents, tenancy matters, nuisance complaints, and requests for information and advice.

The Marine Police continued to fulfill its traditional role of keeping in touch with and helping residents of small islands and remote villages through shore patrols. The population on the main offshore islands increased during the year, with high and middle- grade residential developments and light industrial buildings and recreational facilities being constructed. These developments, together with the increasing numbers of picnickers, campers and pleasure boat owners who flocked to the islands during weekends and holidays, resulted in the Marine Police having to keep a constant presence to help people and vessels in difficulties. Casualty evacuation from the islands and other remote areas remained an important task and the newly acquired logistics vessels were in constant use. Police manpower resources were heavily committed to maintain security at major events during the year, including the Far East and South Pacific (FESPIC) Games for the Disabled held in Sha Tin.

Community Relations

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While the force continued to enlist general public support through a broad base of community-related programmes, much of the effort centred on combatting juvenile and youth crime.

Once again, Junior Police Call (JPC) spearheaded the drive, and the number of juveniles prosecuted for crime in 1982 dropped by 910 cases, or 23 per cent, when compared with the previous year. Main features of the campaign were a four-day Fight Youth Crime Seminar Camp for 800 senior JPC members and representatives from eight other youth organisations, and a JPC recruitment drive that attracted 34 500 new members and 3 758 JPC leaders, bringing total membership to 321 500. In addition, the year saw the formation of 200 JPC clubs in secondary schools and 67 in primary schools; the organisation of 11 230 different activities for JPC members and the staging of several major Fight Youth Crime promotions, one of which attracted more than 10 000 young people to the Murray Road car park in Central District. As part of the ever expanding community service programme, a JPC flag day and raffle raised $7.16 million for the FESPIC Games.

Over 2 100 school students passed the initial test of the 1982 young people's Help the Police competition, with the prize for the five winners an all-expenses-paid holiday to Australia. Another 245 members of the public, who actively assisted the police in bringing criminals to justice, received cash awards totalling $274,000 through the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce Good Citizen Award Scheme and helped keep citizen arrest figures at a commendable 11 per cent of all arrests.

In July, the number of criminals arrested as a direct result of the weekly Chinese and English Police Report television programmes rose to 1 500, as a result of 36 000 calls to the television ‘hotline'. By the end of the year the number of arrests resulting from calls to these programmes stood at 1 653. The third in the drama-documentary series On the Beat co-produced by Radio Television Hong Kong and the police - was shown on both Chinese television channels and attracted audiences in excess of two million.

The Police Public Relations Wing continued to provide a 24-hour information and enquiry service for the media. In 1982 its staff dealt with an average of 6 765 press enquiries and 660 public enquiries every month. In addition, they issued a monthly average of 520