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The law and order situation remained stable throughout 2002 and despite the slight increases seen in a number of less prominent crimes Hong Kong's overall crime rate remained low.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Tsang Yam-pui, gave the above remarks at a press conference today (January 16) to review the crime situation in Hong Kong last year.
Mr Tsang noted that 2002 had been another challenging year for the Police with fresh issues and pressures testing the Force. However, Police were able to meet all challenges head on and, most importantly of all maintain stability in terms of the terrority's law and order situation.
Despite a 3.9 per cent increase in the number of crimes recorded overall in 2002, he said the territory had witnessed a fall in the number of goldsmith/watch shop robberies (45.5 per cent), bank robberies (37 per cent), serious narcotics cases (9.3 per cent), vehicles thefts (5.9 per cent) and burglaries (five per cent).
Moreover, the total number of young persons and juveniles arrested for crime in 2002 registered a drop of 1.9 per cent and 9.7 per cent respectively.
Mr Tsang said that the policing priorities for the year focused on combating three key areas, namely violent crime, psychotropic drug activities involving young people, as well as triad and other organised crime activities.
"Notwithstanding the significant challenges posed by these anti-crime objectives, our actions throughout the year have allowed the Force to successfully meet its goals," he said.
He noted that a great deal was achieved in areas of primary concern such as violent crime involving the use of genuine firearms, as well as high profile bank and goldsmith robberies.
"Situations in which firearms were used was successfully contained at a low level, whilst the number of incidents of robbery at high risk premises actually decreased," he said.
Throughout 2002, the Force maintained strong, effective enforcement action against the trafficking in and abuse of psychotropic drugs, as well as other narcotic offences.
"This strategy focused primarily on dangerous drug activities affecting Hong Kong but also saw us working in tandem with Guangdong and Macau authorities on mutually beneficial joint operations and intelligence sharing initiatives," he said.
Mr Tsang said that as a result, large-scale seizures of drugs as well as a large number of arrests were made, adding that the number of young persons arrested for offences involving psychotropic drugs dropped by almost 24 per cent.
On targetting triad and other organised crime activities, Mr Tsang said a very successful strategy of initiating local undercover operations as well as utilising an already close working relationship with Mainland authorities resulted in some 54 triad syndicates being neutralised and crime proceeds totalling $86 million being restrained.
Noting that the so-called "quick cash crimes" such as street level robbery, deception and snatching had become a matter of public concern, Mr Tsang said that these had been identified, targetted and either effectively brought under control in some cases, or already made the subject of concerted enforcement action by Police in others.
Mr Tsang said that the Hong Kong Police was wholly committed to maintaining the stability we now enjoyed and remained confident that the strategies planned for 2003 would ensure achievement of this goal.
Turning to the policing priorities for maintaining stability over the next 12 months and beyond, he said these were primarily five-fold.
He said that deployment of a strong, visible uniformed police presence; execution of intelligence-based operations and maintenance of close liaison with the Mainland and other overseas law enforcement agencies would be key to the fight against violent crime particularly involving firearms.
On countering triad-related violence, Mr Tsang noted that by employing a strategy of enhancing intelligence, exchanges and co-operation with other police agencies, as well as making maximum use of existing legislation, Police aimed to effectively remove the fear of triads and therefore the influence they had.
He said that the crackdown on "quick cash crime" would be achieved through the strategic deployment of police resources at identified problem areas, as well as by engaging the security and property management industries and the public in prevention of these crimes.
On international terrorism, Mr Tsang said that the Police would reinforce its commitment to international efforts against terrorism.
"There remains no evidence to suggest that Hong Kong faces any direct, immediate or specific threat from terrorism, but we remain on constant alert, continuously reviewing threat assessments and our preparedness to respond to any situation," he said.
"Finally we will follow up on our measures to maintain strict enforcement action against psychotropic drugs and their abuse by young people as well as maintain vigilance against crimes committed by illegal immigrants and two-way permit holders."
He noted that with more flexible travel arrangements being established between the Mainland and Hong Kong in the near future, our rigorous commitment in these areas would be vital.
Mr Tsang was confident that this challenge would be fully met as the Police continued to work in partnership with the community it served.
"In continuing to give us its support, the community will enable the Force to fulfil its most important goal, namely maintaining Hong Kong as one of the safest, most stable societies in the world."
Police Report No.3
Issued by PPRB
End/1700 Thursday, January 16, 2003
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