Community groups and prominent people are frequently visited by officers specifically appointed to liaise with them in order to maintain that good and close-knit relationship and to ensure the continued reception of timely information regarding criminal activities or threats. These people are also encouraged to contact their 'liaison' officer at any time to discuss any matter that concerns them.

Over the past two years, this project has proven to be most effective. The Police collected a great deal of information through this giant network and were able to mount timely action to reduce crime. For example, through careful and accurate analysis of problems raised in a seminar held during the last summer vacation, the Police successfully arrested a number of key drug traffickers on Cheung Chau and, since then, have effectively prevented youths from loitering in crime blackspots during the evenings.

In February this year, again through close liaison with the community, information was collected which enabled frontline officers to arrest a large group (19) of pseudo-triad society members and seize a large number of offensive weapons (mostly sharpened sections of water-piping). All were charged with unlawful assembly. There was evidence to suggest that this gang was about to launch an attack on a rival gang and, had it taken place, it would have been a very bloody affair.

Burglaries and Drug Offences Reduced

On March 7 this year, a Fight Crime Seminar was organised in Cheung Chau Division. Marine Port District Commander, Mr Kenneth Davey, and senior divisional officers all took part in a discussion about the law and order situation with a score or so of local representatives. Among them were: Outlying Islands District Council (OIDC) Member, Mr Kwong Kwok-wai; Cheung Chau Rural Committee (CCRC) Chairman, Mr Yung Chi-ming; Outlying Islands District Fight Crime Committee Chairman, Mr Lam Kit-sing; Cheung Chau primary and secondary schools headmasters and teachers, representatives of school-based parents-teachers associations; and, public and private sector social workers.

During the meeting the guests were given a digital slide-show of Cheung Chau crime statistics by Senior Inspector Mr Wallace Lee Che-hung. After which Chief Inspector Mr Peter Lee Hang-lam briefed them on recent Police action in various areas of law enforcement that were of particular concern to all.

The number of burglary cases on Cheung Chau has dropped most significantly from 66 cases in 2000 to 21 cases in 2002. Bicycle theft had been reduced and so had the incidence of suicide and attempted suicide. Drug trafficking to youths has been curtailed although there are signs that some youths are still obtaining supplies from outside Cheung Chau. Also, young people have been effectively prevented from loitering at crime blackspots during the evenings and have been provided with healthy alternative activities.

This is important because many Cheung Chau youths are the children of fishermen who are frequently absent from home for long periods of time. The absence of a suitable role model and fatherly discipline rendered Cheung Chau youths particularly susceptible to the influence of bad elements among their peers.

Mr Davey asked the guests to continue with their admirable efforts in encouraging young people to take part in healthy and competitive activities because, as he pointed out, "the devil always finds work for idle hands".

There followed a lively 'any other business' session during which the Police received several constructive suggestions from the floor. Several people complimented the Police for what they described as an outstanding performance over the last two years' fight against crime by Marine Port District and Cheung Chau Division in particular. All gave assurances of their intention to carry on fighting crime.

After the seminar, Mr Davey awarded a letter of appreciation to Cheung Chau Rural Committee praising the organisation and its members for furnishing accurate and timely crime information to the Police. Mr Kwong and Mr Yung (OIDC and CCRC), in turn, presented souvenirs to the District and the Division, to thank them for upholding law and order and their successful two-year crackdown on crime.

A liaison visit to a school on Cheung Chau