Newly assigned Taichung Police Chief Frank Chiu (邱豐光) has vowed to make a difference for the city in terms of public order and crime rates.
“I shall do my best,” Chiu said.
The 1.85m-tall officer, who could very well be the nation’s tallest police chief, made the remarks after being informed that he had been made Taichung’s chief of police on June 3.
The new chief was nicknamed “Boss Chiu” (邱霸子) by his co-workers because of his leadership qualities and larger-than-life appearance.
Chiu, 55, graduated from the Central Police University’s Department of Criminal Investigation in 1978. He has served in different positions in law enforcement ever since. He also possesses a master’s degree in criminology from National Taipei University.
In addition to his expertise in criminal investigation, Chiu’s background has also earned him many promotions. He has been a favorite with both Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) politicians.
Chiu’s uncle is Chiu Lien-hui (邱連輝), a DPP heavyweight and former Pingtung County councilor and legislator, while Legislator Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) is also one of his relatives. His close connections with the DPP made him one of former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) favorite officers, with Chen at one point planning to promote him from deputy captain at Taipei City’s Criminal Investigation Corps (CIC) to either the captain of the force or one of the captains of the Special Police Forces.
Frank Chiu was also former National Police Agency (NPA) director-general Hou You-yi’s (侯友宜) long-time deputy and always assumed Hou’s previous position whenever Hou was promoted.
The new Taichung police chief entered the spotlight in November 1997, when he arrested and escorted Chen Chin-hsing (陳進興), one of the chief perpetrators of the kidnapping of entertainer Pai Bing-bing’s (白冰冰) daughter Pai Hsiao-yen (白曉燕), out of South African military attache Alexander McGill’s residence in Beitou (北投), Taipei City, after a 25-hour hostage crisis.
He declined special promotions several times, choosing instead to follow a regular and routine promotional system within the police force.
His low profile and hard work were also noticed by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who succeeded Chen as Taipei mayor in 1998. Frank Chiu’s efforts as captain at the CIC were noted and commended by Ma when he was mayor.
WIFE
Frank Chiu’s wife, Chang Fang-chen (張芳珍), was his classmate at the academy and is also a senior officer at Taipei City Police Department’s Wenshan Second Precinct (文山二分局).
“He is a man of ambition, but he chooses to attain his goals using regular routes,” a senior Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) officer who has worked with Frank Chiu for more than a decade said on condition of anonymity. “I am not surprised he was promoted.”
The officer described Frank Chiu as “a big man with a girl’s heart,” someone who acts and moves like a brave man with a detailed plan that comes from careful consideration.
“He always knows what he is doing and always does things right and well,” he said. “I am quite confident he can do something for Taichung.”
During Frank Chiu’s 32 years of service in the force, his first job with administrative responsibilities was head of Taipei City Police Department, Wanhua Precinct’s (萬華分局) Investigation Section. He was also assigned and promoted to head the CIB’s Sixth Division, was a deputy captain and captain at Taipei City Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Corps, a CIB spokesman, Hsinchu City police chief and CIB deputy commissioner.
NPA Director-General Wang Cho-chiun (王卓鈞) said Frank Chiu’s promotion was his idea, a decision that was endorsed by Taichung Mayor Jason Hu (胡志強).
“[Frank] Chiu’s promotion has nothing to do with politics,” Wang said. “I am expecting him to take advantage of his expertise in criminology to fix the city’s major [crime] problem.”
MOST QUALIFIED
Former Taichung Police chief Hu Mu-yuan (胡木源), who is now head of the Special Police Force’s Third Headquarters, said being Taichung police chief was not an easy job, but that Frank Chiu was the most qualified candidate.
“I wish him luck,” Hu said.
Frank Chiu said his only response would be to work harder.
“Hu is an old friend and an old partner in the force. I will continue and finish what he started,” he said.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS