Premier Lin Chuan (林全) yesterday urged Taipei’s Zhongzheng First Police Precinct officers to abide by the legal procedures and do their best to avoid causing harm when supervising demonstrations.
Minister of the Interior Yeh Jiunn-rong (葉俊榮) and National Police Agency Director-General Chen Kuo-en (陳國恩) accompanied Lin as he greeted the officers, making him the first premier to visit the precinct in charge of securing the nation’s top government institutions, including the Executive Yuan, the Legislative Yuan and the Presidential Office Building, in 40 years.
“The reason the government exists is to protect the people’s lives and property, and ensure social stability, as well as human rights,” Lin said. “When enforcing the law, officers [should remember] those who are on the opposite side are also citizens. It might not be easy to balance and that is why discipline and training are important for police officers.”
Lin said it can be more difficult to enforce the law when supervising demonstrations, which Zhongzheng First Police Precinct officers often have to do.
Lin reminded officers that when facing demonstrators, they should try to reduce any use of force.
“To prevent causing controversy, law enforcement measures must be in accordance with disciplinary regulations and relevant laws,” Lin said, adding that when police act strictly in accordance with the law, the government would support officers if they come under scrutiny for their handling of demonstrations.
Lin denied the visit was to quell discontent among some officers after the Executive Yuan wdropped the lawsuits against 126 protestors who broke into and briefly occupied the Executive Yuan in 2014.
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