Premier Mao Chi-kuo today emphasized the importance of effective public safety maintenance, including fire prevention, rescue and relief, to enable citizens to enjoy a peaceful Lunar New Year holiday (February 18 to 23).
The premier made these remarks while convening an Executive Yuan public security meeting, during which the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) reported on analyses of nationwide fire prevention and safety efforts, the current state of public security, and public safety trends and strategies for 2015.
There were less fire disasters and damages nationwide in 2014 than in 2013, the premier pointed out. However, deaths from fires increased notably in certain special municipalities, counties and cities last year. The premier called attention to this trend and instructed the MOI to supervise the local governments of those jurisdictions and help them make improvements.
Six firefighters lost their lives during a bowling alley fire in Taoyuan City on January 20, 2015, the premier pointed out. In order to prevent such an incident from happening again, he told the MOI to quickly supplement firefighting manpower and equipment as well as strengthen training and command systems in order to make firefighting safer. He also asked the ministry to continuously publicize local governments' demolition of illegal structures to increase public safety.
Department stores and places of leisure are expected to be crowded before and during the holiday. Hence, Mao asked the MOI to request local governments' firefighting units to step up fire safety inspections in public places, tighten management of firecracker and fireworks safety, and bolster fire prevention and rescue preparedness measures.
After the report on the state of public security, the premier pointed out that police agencies delivered stronger results in 2014 than in the year before in terms of preventing violence, solving theft cases, seizing drugs and arms, investigating gang activities, protecting women and children, and cracking down on drunk driving. He gave special thanks to police officers across the nation for their efforts over the past year and encouraged them to keep up the good work in the year ahead.
The report also described changes in different cities and counties' numbers and clearance rates of major crimes during 2014, as well as their plans for maintaining a safe environment during the upcoming holiday. Premier Mao asked the MOI to send any suggestions for improvements to the local governments and guide them as they implement the plans.
In the report on 2015 public safety strategies, the MOI analyzed the growth and decline of various types of crimes over the past decade in addition to proposing seven strategies for 2015. Calling the strategies concrete and feasible, Premier Mao instructed the MOI and National Police Administration to track the progress of each task and to guide police agencies in implementing the strategies.
Mao also asked prosecution, investigation, military police and coast guard agencies to team up in the battle against crime so as to give citizens a safer, better environment. As for the report's recommendation to increase police personnel, the premier asked the MOI to study the possibility and come up with specific measures to improve the situation.
Many of the public safety efforts mentioned in the reports (such as combating cybercrime and protecting women and minors) involve multiple ministries or local authorities, Mao said. Based on past experience, ministries must strengthen their cooperation with one another to be effective in curbing crime. Hence, competent authorities should work closely with public safety agencies in implementing these mechanisms and sharing the responsibility for maintaining public safety.