FSU first government department
accredited to run security learning programme
The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) has granted the Force Search Unit (FSU) the accreditation status to operate the "Police Professional Search and Venue Security Certificate Programme" at Level 3 under the Qualifications Framework (QF) set up by the Education Bureau. Upon successful completion of the learning programme, students may continue with tertiary studies for their lifelong learning and personal development.
A Force Search Unit Cadre member goes through his paces during a demonstration
Effective use of resources
FSU was established in 1992. Before finding itself a permanent home, classes and drills were conducted with borrowed facilities in the former Detective Training School near Choi Hung Estate. In 1995, the first FSU Training School was set up at the former Queen's Hill Camp in Fan Ling and later relocated to the former Government Flying Services Base in Kowloon Bay on a temporary basis.In October 2003, the FSU Training School finally moved to its present premises in Sha Ling, Man Kam To. Since then, it has substantially expanded and offered better training facilities and advanced search and security screening equipment to fulfil the operational requirements of counter-terrorism search and crime scene evidence collection.
Enhancing professionalism
FSU has conducted a total of 56 three-week basic training courses on searching since 1992 to meet the security needs of major events and conferences. The size of the search cadre was expanded from 320 in 1997 during the handover to over 500 members for the East Asian Games last year. After the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events security operation, FSU Headquarters succeeded in enhancing its training system and acquiring the ISO 9001: 2008 Quality Management System Certificate awarded by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency in April last year.
Continuous improvement in curriculum design
In June last year, a six-member panel of HKCAAVQ visited the FSU Training School and conducted a critical accreditation assessment of learning programmes, planning and management, syllabuses, delivery arrangements, assessment methods and the learning outcomes. The Force Training Officer also offered FSU valuable advice and support during the accreditation preparation. HKCAAVQ finally granted FSU the status to organise three QF accredited courses each year, with no more than 28 trainees for each course.The content of the three-week course has been changed from job-oriented to learning-centric in four modular courses, namely Basic Defensive Search and Venue Security Course (three weeks), Workplace Attachment (18 - 24 months), Advanced Course (one week), Syndicate Research and Presentation Project (three months) and Final Board Interview (30 minutes).
Professional accreditation
FSU has gained valuable knowledge and best practices from the major events in recent years, and it will consolidate and pass on these experiences to the next generation of Police Search Cadre through the accredited learning programme.With the professionally accredited course, FSU hopes to strengthen liaison in learning and technology development with overseas and Mainland law enforcement agencies to enhance its professionalism and to ensure the Force will continue to provide quality services for major event security operations.
Cadre members show how to operate a ground radar