Taipei Police Commissioner Chen Jia-chang (陳嘉昌) yesterday sought to reassure the public of the city police’s commitment to enhancing public security, announcing the results of recent crime sweeps and the arrest of major gang figures, as well as displaying a trove of confiscated weapons.
The department has been embroiled in controversy after a group of young men last month rampaged through Songshan Precinct’s Zhonglun Police Station, and the police allegedly tried to cover up the incident.
Chen told a news conference that his forces are resolved to clamp down on criminal groups and to curb street violence.
Photo: CNA
Police have conducted raids on suspected loan sharks and people who use violent tactics to collect debt, with many of them suspected to be linked to local chapters of the organized crime groups the Bamboo Union and Heavenly Way Alliance, which are active in Taipei, New Taipei City and Taoyuan, Chen said.
Acknowledging a slew of negative news that has eroded public confidence in the ability of law enforcement authorities to contain criminal activities, Chen said that police forces under his control would intensify their efforts to fight crime and conduct more crime sweeps to enhance public safety.
In a public demonstration of unity, Chen was accompanied at the news conference by the heads of the city’s 14 main precincts and Taipei Criminal Investigation Division officers.
A local boss, allegedly linked to the Bamboo Union, and eight gang members — including four teens — were arrested during a raid on Wednesday and taken in for questioning, Chen said.
They are facing potential charges of assault, extortion, forcible confinement, and contravening the Organized Crime Prevention Act(組織犯罪防制條例), he added.
Items seized in the raids were put on display, mainly weapons used by suspects in debt collecting and extortion, including knives, crowbars, baseball bats, hammers, chisels and metal files, along with confiscated cash, mobile phones, and sets for playing betting games.
Taipei police officials also released a list of figures showing that last year, 259 suspected gang members were arrested, including 38 major gang figures, while this year so far, 161 suspected gang members had been arrested, including 25 major criminal figures.
Separately, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) also led police in checking on businesses in some districts to ensure public safety, following a National Police Agency mandate for police chiefs nationwide to conduct crime sweeps.
Hou, with New Taipei City Police Commissioner Huang Tsung-jen (黃宗仁) and his forces, conducted raids in Sanchong District (三重) and other areas on Wednesday night, visiting nightclubs, KTV parlors and other entertainment premises, to check on possible illegal business operations, and to ensure that people are following regulations on wearing masks, real-name registration and other COVID-19 preventive measures.
Hou said an order came from National Police Agency Director-General Chen Ja-chin (陳家欽) for police chiefs in all cities and counties to conduct inspections and crime sweeps to deter street violence and other illegal activities to enhance public security.
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