ENG-1988 — Page 280

PUBLIC ORDER

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The Identification Bureau continued to provide services in relation to fingerprint technology and forensic photography, assisting other formations of the police in the investigation and detection of crime. During 1988 staff of the Scenes of Crime Section and the Advanced Technology Unit of the bureau attended 26 662 crime scenes to examine fingerprints, resulting in 708 persons being identified in connection with 805 cases.

The main fingerprint collection section contains 626 277 sets of fingerprints. During the year, 76 541 arrest fingerprints were processed and, from these, 36 079 people were identified as having previous convictions. The section also carried out searches on 67 357 sets of fingerprints for vetting purposes.

The Certificate of No Criminal Conviction Section received 40 448 applications for certificates.

The Photographic Section produced 401 384 black and white photographs and 495 591 colour slides and photographs.

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Ballistics and Firearms Identification

Officers of the Ballistics and Firearms Identification Bureau handled 235 cases in 1988, compared with 198 in 1987. In these cases 20 commercially manufactured firearms were seized or found, together with 17 homemade or converted firearms.

The bureau is now using a microprocessor-operated index to compose the physical characteristics of weapons used in crimes. The index allows information from fired bullets and cartridge cases from crime scenes to be stored and subsequently retrieved under different categories.

Interpol-

The International Criminal Police Organisation, more commonly known as Interpol, was established in 1914, and has police forces from 146 countries as members.

The Hong Kong Interpol Bureau works closely with police forces overseas as well as various government departments and consulates and commissions in Hong Kong. The bureau has a small investigation unit which deals with minor enquiries on behalf of other member countries and initial requests for extradition.

Two officers from the Hong Kong Police are seconded to the Interpol General Secretariat in Saint Cloud, Paris and close contact is maintained with them.

Public Order

There were no major incidents affecting Hong Kong's 'internal security during the year. Officers of the Police Tactical Unit continued to play an important role in maintaining order at public functions and carrying out anti-crime, anti-illegal immigration duties and Vietnamese escort duties.

During the year 1870 officers from the rank of constable to superintendent received training in internal security tactics and methods of crowd control at the Police Tactical Unit base in the New Territories.

The new $11-million fleet of Saxon armoured personnel carriers was delivered during the year to replace the ageing Saracens. The seven new vehicles equipped with radio com- munications and public address systems were put into service at the Police Tactical Unit.

Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration continued to be one of the most serious problems facing the security forces. Each day, some 785 police officers were deployed to counter all forms of illegal