Premier Jiang Yi-huah traveled to Taichung City tonight to visit a police officer from Miaoli County who suffered a stroke from serving duty at the cross-strait services pact demonstrations. Officer Ko Hsiung-fei is currently undergoing emergency treatment at an intensive care unit at Taichung's Cheng Ching Hospital.
Extending consolation to Ko's family members, Jiang said he was deeply saddened when he heard the news because police officers enforce public authority in accordance with the law and work hard to maintain social order. He called on the public to show greater support and allow the officers to continue serving and protecting the citizenry.
The premier stated that police officers are already burdened with heavy duties in normal times, but the recent protests and occupation of government buildings in Taipei City have only added to their workload as the National Police Agency (NPA) have asked for reinforcement forces from other counties and cities. Jiang urged all police officers to look after their physical and mental health especially during this time. He hopes the demonstrations will come to a swift conclusion so that the country can return to normalcy without having to expend more unnecessary social costs.
The premier added that the critics who accuse the police of launching a bloody crackdown against protesters are serving the officers a great injustice, as the officers were only executing public authority in accordance with the law and fulfilling their highest mission of maintaining law and order. He believed the majority of the police officers followed their training and carried out their duties within the confines of the law. He therefore called on the public to lend support and refrain from maligning officers who were faithfully discharging their duties.
Accompanying the premier to the hospital was Executive Yuan Spokesperson and Office of Information Services Director-General Sun Lih-chyun, Executive Yuan Political Deputy Secretary-General Hsiao Chia-chi, Deputy Minister of the Interior Chen Chwen-Jinq and NPA Deputy Director-General Her Hai-min.