TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan Police Union (台灣警察工作權益推動協會) on Wednesday (Jan. 22) urged President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to apologize for remarks they deemed disparaging to police efforts in combating fraud. This call followed President Lai's hard words during a police agency meeting on Monday, during which he highlighted the need for strategies against the more than 180,000 annual fraud cases with a low-resolution rate.
In a Facebook post titled "Please Apologize to All Taiwan Police" (請總統公開向全台灣警察道歉) the union, composed of grassroots officers, described the president's comments as a public insult. They noted that despite limited resources and high-pressure conditions, officers strive to investigate crimes. The post emphasized that crime prevention should not solely rely on police and criticized the president's encouragement as unacceptable from the police perspective.
The union accused the president of ignorance regarding crime prevention and frontline conditions, insisting on an apology. According to police insiders, fraud case records show a higher resolution rate than reported. They explained that the president's cited figures pertained to organized fraud cases, which can involve multiple incidents per case.
President Lai emphasized the need for enhanced anti-fraud measures using data from the "Fraud Dashboard" (打詐儀表板). He questioned the audience about daily fraud incidences, calculated annual figures, and highlighted the significant financial losses. He also stressed the urgency of addressing issues related to Taiwanese citizens facing inhumane treatment abroad, urging officials to devise solutions.