Kaohsiung, Tainan police chiefs take hits over recent murders

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) The Kaohsiung and Tainan city police chiefs will be replaced to take responsibility for recent shooting and murder cases in their jurisdictions, the National Police Agency (NPA) said in a statement Monday.

Following multiple shooting incidents and murders that hurt public confidence in the police, the NPA reported to the Ministry of the Interior that it would transfer Kaohsiung police chief Lee Yung-kuei (李永癸) and Tainan police chief Chou Yu-wei (周幼偉) to other jobs, the statement said.

In the latest case, a 41-year-old man was killed after a fight broke out outside a dance hall in Kaohsiung when he and friends were leaving shortly after 3 a.m. on Friday.

Over the past few weeks, shooting incidents caused by violent conflicts at entertainment venues in Tainan and other cities were reported.

The NPA said it issued a directive on Saturday to all major police precincts to step up checks of hostess bars, night clubs and other entertainment venues to curb gang violence and crack down on people carrying firearms and knives.

The statement was issued after Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) expressed worries about public order at an event held by the NPA, adding that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has also voiced concerns about the matter.

Su said the upper levels of police management in local governments should assume greater responsibility, and rank-and-file police officers should be better rewarded.