Premier Jiang Yi-huah today presided over the Executive Yuan meeting on public safety, hearing reports from the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on the state of public security, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) on environmental crimes, and the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on forensic work in military and criminal cases.
Regarding the upcoming "nine-in-one" local government elections, Premier Jiang requested prosecutorial, police and investigative units to beef up security during the countdown to the November 29 vote, paying special attention to the safety of candidates, their families and campaign staffers. The MOI, the Ministry of Justice and the Central Election Commission should also prepare their subordinate units to handle any incidents or disputes that may arise during the voting process on election day.
As for the recent crackdown on underground food manufacturers, Jiang took the occasion to express gratitude to central- and local-level police units for their hard work over the past month. He said the National Police Agency (NPA) should report investigation outcomes and statistics to the Executive Yuan's Office of Food Safety, and also disclose that information publicly to let people know what the government is doing to improve food safety.
While the overall crime situation remained stable from January to October, the MOI said, the clearance rate for fraud fell by 9.59 percent. Jiang instructed police units to not just prevent fraud from occurring but also do more to crack such cases.
The same period also saw a 31 percent year-on-year decrease in the number of deaths from drunk driving, although some news outlets are reporting a 20 percent year-on-year increase from June to August. This is due to a difference in statistical periods, Jiang explained.
Responding to suggestions for the government regarding anti-drunk driving measures, stronger law enforcement and raising awareness of the problem, the premier requested the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the MOI and the NPA to reinforce their efforts to deter and crack down on drinking and driving.
As for the EPA's report on environmental crimes, Premier Jiang touted the collaborative efforts of environmental protection agencies, police departments, and prosecutorial offices that have pushed back a wide range of crimes against the environment. The premier directed the EPA to continue using the joint investigation platform with police and prosecutors to root out environmental criminals and help preserve the nation's land and ecology.
The EPA should also continue promoting its improvement measures, work more closely with prosecutors and police to control major sources of pollution, and adapt strategies for different types of crimes in different regions, Jiang said. Stopping pollution before it happens will save manpower and resources later on.
At the meeting, the MND's Military Police Command (MPC) also reported on its forensic investigation work. The MPC's Forensic Science Center carries out investigation work for military cases and assists in judicial proceedings, earning a reputation for both the quantity and quality of its work. Premier Jiang hopes that the MPC will train more forensics personnel to better identify safety concerns in military and civilian communities and formulate preventive measures to protect both the military and the public.