Hong Kong Police Commissioner has set out seven priorities
identified in 2008, which include the policing of 2008 Olympic
Equestrian Events, Hong Kong Police Commissioner Tang King-shing
said on Thursday.
He said the plan for policing the equestrian events is being
finalized and the Beijing Organizing Committee has liaised with
overseas enforcement agencies on anti-terrorist work.
Tang said Hong Kong's terrorist threat level is assessed as
"moderate", adding the Force will ensure the equestrian events are
held smoothly in a safe environment. Resources will be effectively
deployed to manage the events while continuing to offer day-to-day
police service.
Deputy Commissioner Tsang Wai-hung said 105 inspectors and 750
officers will be recruited in 2008-09. All divisions will deploy
manpower flexibility, taking into account the equestrian events, he
added.
Reviewing the Force's work, Tang said Hong Kong's crime
situation remains stable, noting there were 80,796 crime cases
recorded in Hong Kong last year, down 0.4 percent on 2006.
Tang said the overall crime detection rate rose one percentage
point, to 45.6 percent last year. The number of violent crimes
increased 0.6 percent to 14,934 cases, and the detection rate grew
2.7 percentage points to 65.5 percent.
Noting there were 18 homicide cases in 2007, Tang said the
figure, which was down 48.6 percent on 2006, was the lowest in the
past 30 years. Bank robberies went down 65.2 percent to eight and
there were no cases of robbery with firearms recorded.
Burglaries fell 15.1 percent last year to 4,512 cases - the
lowest since 1976, with 15 percent of the cases related to
residential premises. Criminal intimidation cases rose 16.2 percent
to 1,960, though, and pick-pocketing cases went up 20.3 percent to
1,198.
Police had 5,386 operations against narcotics offenses last
year, up 18.5 percent over 2006. The year saw 2,769 serious
narcotics offenses, up 30.5 percent on 2006, with 77.2 percent
relating to psychotropic substances. Of the 3,531 people arrested,
922 were young people, twice the 2006 figure.
On last year's drug seizures, the amount of cocaine rose 12
times on 2006 to 200 kg, and "ice" seven times, to 57 kg. The
amount of ketamine seized fell 90.2 percent to 99 kg, and the
number of ecstasy-type tablets fell 42.7 percent, to 59,714
tablets. The amount of heroin seized also declined 19.2 percent to
42 kg.
Tang said the Force will go all out to combat drug offenses in
2008. Apart from enforcement, cross-sectoral co-operation to
prevent youth drug abuse and close ties with overseas counterparts
will also be bolstered.
Turning to domestic violence, Tang said the number of cases rose
59.6 percent last year, to 7,509. Of these, 2,505 were considered
crime cases. He attributed the rise to people's increasing
willingness to report domestic violence.
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2008)