[ Foreword ] [ Memorable Events ] [ The Hand of Partnership ] [ Operations ] [ Regional Commanders' Report ] [ Personnel and Training ]
[ Management Services ]
[ Finance, Administration and Planning ] [ Environmental Report ] [ Organisation ]
[ Appendices ]
The overall number of crimes reported in 2019 was 59,225, representing an increase of 5,000 cases (up by 9.2 per cent) when compared with 2018 (54,225 cases). Violent crimes also increased by 806 cases (up by 9.1 per cent) from 8,884 cases to 9,690 cases. For every 100,000 people, there were 787 crimes reported, compared with 728 cases in 2018.
The overall crime situation in Hong Kong had been on a downward trend for 12 consecutive years, from 80,796 cases in 2007 down to 54,225 cases in 2018. The law and order situation remained stable in the first half of 2019 with a further drop of 4.7 per cent in overall crime when compared with the same period of 2018, hitting a new record low since half yearly figures were maintained in 1977. However, the trend reversed in the second half of 2019, with the months-long social unrest stemming from protests against the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 ongoing since June. Not only did this offset the 4.7 per cent decrease for the first half of the year, but also contributed to an overall 9.2 per cent yearly increase in crime at the end of the year.
The increase in crime reports in 2019 was mainly attributable to a surge in crimes directly related to the radical protests such as offences against public order (up by 36 folds), arson (up by 2.2 folds), criminal damage (up by 54.1 per cent) and disclosing of personal data (from 0 to 1,375 cases). There was also a rise in crime that was indirectly affected by the thinning out of crime prevention work and police resources to cope with public order events, including robbery (up by 42.9 per cent) and burglary (up by 52 per cent). The majority of the robbery (79 per cent) and burglary (67 per cent) cases occurred in the second half of the year.
The Organized Crime and Triad Bureau combats organised and serious crime and triad activities through proactive intelligence-led operations. Between July and December, the Bureau mounted a series of joint operations with the Guangdong and Macao Police, resulting in the arrest of 815 persons for various offences and the seizure of crime proceeds worth over $77 million.
Since June, the Bureau has investigated into cases of serious violence, firearms and explosive substances as part of Operation TIDERIDER.
The Criminal Intelligence Bureau provides intelligence support for major operations and serious crime investigations, and assists the Force in facilitating the model of intelligence-led policing. During Operation TIDERIDER, the Bureau worked closely with investigation units in detecting serious and violent crimes, including cases involving firearms and explosives. During the year, the Bureau continued to closely liaise with the Mainland, Macao and overseas law enforcement agencies in the fight against transnational and cross-boundary crimes through training collaborations and the exchange of intelligence.
With the establishment of the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) and the Fraud and Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce (FMLIT) in 2017, the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) has continued to enhance the effectiveness of these two major policing initiatives for combatting financial crimes and deception with an all-round approach, ranging from enhanced tactical intelligence exchanges to wider publicity.
The work of the ADCC has been widely recognised and supported by all stakeholders concerned since its establishment. As at December 2019, the 24-hour Anti-Scam Helpline 18222 had received over 55,000 public enquiry calls, provided about 8,900 pieces of advice and support services to frontline officers, and successfully intercepted the transfer of over $4.45 billion to swindlers from victims or victimised companies in over 1,100 fraud cases. In June, the ADCC also established the International Stop Payment Mechanism with INTERPOL to enhance efforts in loss mitigation for transnational deceptions.
The FMLIT is a public-private partnership that brings together the major players in anti-money laundering efforts, including the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and various financial institutions, to fight against evolving fraud and money laundering activities. Since its launch as a pilot project in May 2017, the FMLIT has conducted a total of 25 Operations Group Meetings and facilitated intelligence exchanges between the Police and banks in 95 cases. These have led to the arrest of 181 persons in 55 intelligence-led operations. In June, the FMLIT was established as a permanent intelligence exchange mechanism. It will continue working closely with its partners to strengthen its efforts in tackling serious financial crimes and money laundering activities in Hong Kong.
Since the beginning of Operation TIDERIDER, officers from the Bureau have been deployed to the forefront to provide operational support in stopping violence and curbing disorder. They have successfully detected several high-profile cases of serious violence and prosecuted offenders for crimes of wounding, unlawful detention, and other public order offences.
The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) has continued to combat technology crime and maintain the security of Hong Kong's cyberspace through partnerships with the community, relevant stakeholders and overseas law enforcement agencies (LEAs). The Bureau has also continued to strengthen its multi-agency co-operation with local stakeholders and other Government departments in the forms of scientific research collaboration and experience sharing, including the holding of publicity events such as the Cyber Security Campaign and the Cyber’s Got Talent Carnival. The Cyber’s Got Talent Carnival, held in March to encourage youth to join hands with the Police in keeping cyber space safe, attracted the participation of more than 800 students, teachers and parents.
During the year, the Bureau continued to mount multiple joint operations with overseas LEAs, including the Royal Malaysia Police, the Singapore Police Force and the Macao Judiciary Police, to combat transnational romance scams. These resulted in the arrest of 39 persons in connection with 139 cases, and the seizure of crime proceeds of up to $34 million. The Bureau also co-ordinated investigations by and shared intelligence with investigation units from various regions and districts, and mounted joint operations with relevant stakeholders against e-shopping fraud. In these operations, 38 persons were arrested in connection with 233 technology crime cases.
In March, the Bureau organised the Second Cyber Command Course to enhance the professional capabilities of its senior commanders or future leaders of the Force. The course focused on managerial and strategic perspectives on cybercrime and cyber security incidents. A total of 27 cyber commanders from Australia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Japan, Mainland China, Macao, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tonga and Hong Kong attended the course.
In April, May and November, officers from the Bureau were invited by INTERPOL to share experience on technology crime investigation with representatives of overseas LEAs in France, Korea and Singapore.
During Operation TIDERIDER, the Bureau applied for injunction orders from the High Court to curb online illegal activities of doxxing and harassment against police officers and their families, as well as acts involving online incitement to violence. The Bureau also submitted data removal requests to the relevant information technology and communications companies to safeguard personal privacy and to combat crimes occurring online, while also mounting multiple operations that resulted in the arrest of 40 persons for such offences.
A moment from the Kick-off Ceremony of the Cyber’s Got Talent Carnival.
During the social unrest in the second half of the year, the Narcotics Bureau supported frontline officers by investigating a number of serious crimes and violent groups. The Bureau’s efforts resulted in the apprehension of offenders in several high-profile cases under charges of wounding, possession of explosives and other offences against public order.
Despite the difficult circumstances, the Bureau continued with its endeavours to interdict the sources of dangerous drugs. In 2019, collaborations with Mainland and overseas LEAs resulted in the seizure of 184 kg of illicit drugs. Locally, the Bureau detected 37 serious drug cases, resulting in the arrest of 89 persons and the seizure of 422 kg of illicit drugs.
In January, the Narcotics Bureau arrested four men for manufacturing of dangerous drugs and seized 8 kg of cocaine and 68 litre of semifinished cocaine solvents.
A large quantity of explosives and chemical substances was seized by the Narcotics Bureau during an operation in December.
The Joint Financial Intelligence Unit (JFIU) and the Financial Investigations Division (FID) under the Narcotics Bureau combat money laundering and terrorist financing activities, while the Bureau’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Unit assists in conducting risk assessment for these activities in Hong Kong.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering jointly conducted a mutual evaluation to assess the compliance and effectiveness of Hong Kong's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime against international standards, and published reports on the evaluation in 2019. Hong Kong's regime was assessed to be both compliant and effective, making it the first jurisdiction in the Asia-Pacific region to have achieved an overall compliant result in the current round of FATF evaluation.
In the year, the FID also investigated and interdicted sources of funds for illicit and violent activities associated with ‘anti-extradition bill’ protests, placing a temporary freeze on multi-million dollar assets and apprehending related perpetrators.
The Liaison Bureau strives to establish and maintain strong and effective partnerships with the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan authorities and INTERPOL members.
In 2019, the Bureau co-ordinated the Force's participation in the 25th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Tripartite Heads of Criminal Investigation Department Meeting in Foshan. It also arranged for officers to conduct high-level exchanges with international strategic partners.
The Bureau continued to encourage frontline criminal investigation officers to use INTERPOL Integrated Tools and Services. It also coordinated efforts to enable police officers to take part in INTERPOL's joint operations and training programmes, which give officers a better grasp of the latest trends in transnational criminal activities while enhancing their investigative capabilities.
The Crime Prevention Bureau is devoted to engaging different stakeholders from all walks of life in promoting crime prevention messages and awareness as well as offering useful advice for crime prevention. Apart from its core business, the Bureau also provided timely crime prevention advice to police formations, Government departments and private sectors, which were subject to vandalism during Operation TIDERIDER since June. The Bureau also maintained close partnerships with the property management and security industries, making opportunities to explain relevant laws to facilitate police officers’ execution of their lawful duties in commercial malls and private housing estates.
The Identification Bureau provides professional fingerprint examinations, firearms-related forensic services, DNA collection and photographic services to the Force and other LEAs. In the year, the Bureau conducted large-scale scene examinations at the Legislative Council Complex, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and other major institutions that had been subject to severe damage from the ‘anti-extradition bill’ protests. The Bureau also worked closely with frontline officers in Operation TIDERIDER, taking photos and fingerprints of arrested persons following mass arrests.
Identification Bureau officers collecting fingerprints and other evidence from the Legislative Council Complex after it was extensively damaged by protesters.
The Criminal Records Bureau provides round-the-clock support services to frontline police officers and other Government departments in relation to information available on the Police Operational Nominal Index Computer System.
The Family Conflict and Sexual Violence Policy Unit formulates and implements Force policies, procedures and training on the handling of offences involving child and elder abuse, domestic, family and sexual violence, youth crime, and cases involving mentally incapacitated persons. The Unit adopts a multi-agency and cross-disciplinary approach to assist frontline units in tackling such offences. In April, the Police extended the Community Support Service Scheme by referring all arrested youths aged from 10 to below 18 to designated nongovernmental organisations for various support services.
The Major Incident Investigation and Disaster Support System continued to provide support to Force units and other Government departments in managing and analysing a vast amount of data in relation to complex investigations, major disasters and epidemic outbreaks.
The Witness Protection Unit runs witness protection programmes. It is also dedicated to providing victims and vulnerable persons susceptible to serious crimes with safety advice, to keep them safe from physical threats and assurance of personal well-being.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau carries out bomb disposal work. In 2019, there was an increase in bomb disposal cases involving homemade improvised explosive devices after the ‘anti-extradition bill’ protests broke out in June. In particular, the Bureau was involved in the investigation of a homemade remote-controlled bomb explosion case in Mong Kok and the detection of a bomb manufactory in Tsuen Wan, where over 2 kg of high explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP), commonly used in terrorist attacks worldwide, was seized.
The Bureau also organised a demonstration for the press to introduce the potentially deadly destructive force of some of the homemade explosives seized during the protests, in order to raise public awareness of and vigilance towards the emerging homegrown terrorism threat in Hong Kong.
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer handling suspected explosives at scene.
The Police Tactical Unit Headquarters (PTU HQ) provides frontline officers with operational and tactical training in areas such as leadership and command, internal security, public order policing, use of force, crowd management, and field and physical training. The aim is to equip frontline officers with the knowledge, skills and mental readiness required to handle a wide range of operational situations, from anticrime operations to public disorder situations and riots.
Since June 2019, the PTU HQ has been heavily engaged in handling the many challenges stemming from the social unrest. In the face of continuous public disorder and riots, including violent terrorism-level attacks by radicals, PTU HQ staff members were deployed in two contingents, the Headquarters Response Contingent and the Special Tactical Contingent, with the task of quelling riots, saving lives and restoring order in various operational spaces. Officers have also been involved in devising and reviewing suitable tactics, and researching and procuring improved arms, ammunition and equipment, with the aim of enhancing the operational effectiveness and personal protection of all frontline officers. The PTU HQ will continue to review and refine its tactical training curriculum, operational gear and protective equipment to stay abreast of the fast-changing operational environment.
During Operation TIDERIDER, Specialised Crowd Management Vehicles were deployed to support police officers in their efforts to restore order in various locations.
The Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit (ICTU) is comprised of members from the Police Force, the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Fire Services Department and the Government Flying Service. The Unit was established in April 2018, and is headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police.
The ICTU is dedicated to monitoring trends in global terrorism and counter-terrorism measures, reviewing and improving counter-terrorism strategies in Hong Kong, and developing specialised counter-terrorism training for member departments. Serving as an inter-departmental counter-terrorism platform, the ICTU fosters close contact and smooth collaboration among member departments, and offers them synergies in areas such as counter-terrorism intelligence, training and emergency response education. Its goal is to enhance Hong Kong’s overall counterterrorism capability and its preparedness for potential terrorist threats.
The Major Incidents Bureau (MIB) oversees the Force's overall strategy and specific policies on the policing of terrorist incidents and major incidents, and audits the Force's preparedness and response capabilities for such incidents. The MIB comprises four divisions, namely the Counter Terrorism and Internal Security Division, the Exercise and Audit Division, the Major Events Planning Division and the Police Public Engagement Office.
The Command Cadre was formally established in January 2018. Comprised of officers between the ranks of Superintendent and Assistant Commissioner, the Cadre provides the Force with a selected pool of highly trained Field Commanders capable of taking charge of significant operational command tasks. Members of the Cadre receive regular training in different fields to ensure their command capabilities remain in the highest state of readiness.
The Counter Terrorism and Internal Security Division (CTIS) is responsible for formulating and implementing Force-level policies and orders relating to counter-terrorism and internal security. The Division keeps a close watch on international trends in terrorist activities, and regularly reviews the effectiveness of the Force's counter-terrorism contingency plans. It also works in collaboration with other Government departments and private organisations to enhance public alertness to and education about counterterrorism initiatives. To maintain the highest readiness levels, the CTIS conducts training and exercises based on worldwide terrorist trends that critically test the ability of the Force to respond to terrorist attacks.
Operating under the Division, the Counter Terrorism Response Unit (CTRU) is strategically deployed to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive premises and to ensure a rapid and effective response to any potential terrorist activities in Hong Kong.
Some officers of the Counter Terrorism Response Unit taking part in a counter-terrorism exercise.
The Exercise and Audit Division is the Force policy unit responsible for the operational aspects of public events policing and major incidents policing. It also acts as the secretariat of the Command Cadre. The Division is responsible for staffing, coordinating and reviewing the job charters, protocols, equipment and procedures of all emergency responding teams, steering and auditing the response capabilities for major incidents, and developing training and development opportunities for senior field command officers.
In formulating operational plans for major events, the Major Events Planning Division acts as a focus for communication amongst the Force senior management, major formations, organisers and other stakeholders in the public and private sectors. In particular, it acts as the first contact point and ‘one-stop shop’ for organisers of major events. Internally, it performs the role of secretariat to the Force Steering Committee and the Police Headquarters Planning and Coordination Team, and co-ordinates amongst major formations, advising and assisting in the planning process and monitoring progress to ensure that their planning is in line with Force directives. The Division also conducts After Action Reviews of major events to identify lessons learned and formulate best practices for future reference.
The Police Public Engagement Office conducts long-term strategic engagement with various stakeholders and organisations to achieve the smooth and peaceful running of public order events. It also facilitates communication between frontline officers and organisers for better mutual understanding.
The Police Dog Unit (PDU) has 133 dogs trained for patrol work, drug detection, tracking, and explosives searches. To share its daily work with the community, visits to the PDU facilities for 49 schools and charitable organisations were arranged in 2019. The PDU also took part in the grand show of the Hong Kong Police Force 175th Anniversary Open Day.
Members of the Police Dog Unit in the grand show at the Hong Kong Police Force 175th Anniversary Open Day.
The Special Duties Unit is the definitive tactical intervention unit of the Hong Kong Police Force. It operates in land, sea, and air environments, and specialises in handling terrorist attacks, hostage takings, and armed criminal activities.
A Special Duties Unit officer preparing to board a helicopter to embark on a mission.
The Briefing Support Unit is an integral part of the Force's counterterrorism response capability. It is responsible for constructing scale models in support of operational planning for counter terrorist incidents and post-incident investigations. The Unit comprises 27 voluntary police officers who have received formal training in the interpretation of plans and drawings, model building and 3D modelling.
In 2019, the Force Escort Group (FEG) contributed 2,310 man-days and engaged in 75 mobilisations to escort operations of various types, including escorting visiting VIPs, the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, arms and ammunition, valuable property, and prisoners in relation to Operation TIDERIDER. VIP operations included operations for visits by the President of Panama, Mr. Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez.
To enhance the professional knowledge and skills of its officers, the FEG arranged visits for its officers to the Traffic Police Headquarters of the Singapore Police Force.
The Force Escort Group contributed 2,310 man-days and 75 mobilisations for escort operations of various types in the year.
With its motto Attitude Drives Altitude, the Force Rope Access Cadre renders round-the-clock support services to frontline units engaged in policing tasks at unusual locations and provides professional advice to frontline commanders on policing matters related to working at height. Cadre members receive regular professional training to ensure they are able to maintain their specialist access capabilities at the highest state of readiness.
In the first half of 2019, the Force Search Unit engaged in security operations associated with visits by foreign dignitaries, participated in community engagement activities during the Hong Kong Police Force’s 175th Anniversary Open Day, and provided defensive search and venue security training for Mainland and Macao police counterparts. During the social unrest in the second half of 2019, the Unit implemented various security defence measures for police and government premises and for other critical infrastructure.
Officers from the Force Search Unit demonstrating how to use a metal detector to Mainland counterparts.
The Police Negotiation Cadre consists of 76 dedicated volunteer police officers who share the common values of passion, nobility and commitment. The Cadre provides a round-the-clock contingency negotiation service aimed at saving lives and resolving crisis situations. Its crisis intervention capabilities mean that it can be deployed to handle terrorist and criminal hostage incidents, to perform suicide interventions and to manage negotiations at major public order events.
The Cadre conducts regular negotiation training and joint exercises with key stakeholders within and outside the Force and participates in international conferences and training programmes. It also organises crisis negotiation and suicide intervention workshops for members of other disciplinary services, social workers, mental health professionals, school principals and discipline masters.
In 2019, the Cadre continued to conduct evidence-based research on suicide prevention and crisis intervention in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong and crisis negotiation units around the world.
TANGO Company consists of frontline female police officers only. It was initially formed in 1992 to help deal with women and children in the Vietnamese Refugee Camps. Moving with times, nowadays, TANGO Company is often deployed in public events and security operations to assist in security screening and crowd management.
TANGO Company members receiving regular training.
The Police Licensing Office is responsible for issuing various licences and permits, processing the registration of societies, and reviewing and implementing licensing policies. In addition, the Office facilitates the work of other licensing authorities, and co-ordinates Force policy on public order events.
During Operation TIDERIDER, the Office remained steadfast in providing efficient public services as the number of applications for certain licences and permits rose between July and December 2019. Among these, applications for Security Personnel Permits recorded a significant increase of 20 per cent when compared with the same period in 2018.
The Office also assisted frontline officers in handling public order events by providing policy-related opinions, liaising with the Department of Justice for legal advice on specific cases, and handling appeals lodged with the Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions.
The Hong Kong Police Licensing System was launched in 2019 to support officers in processing licence applications by electronic means, thereby enhancing the efficiency of licence processing.
In 2019, the Cadre provided training leading to occupational safety and health qualifications for about 180 Force members, along with safety induction training for over 1,000 new recruits at the Hong Kong Police College. The Cadre also arranged OSH refresher training for over 227 Force members.
The Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) continued its partnership initiatives with both the media and the wider community during the year, with the aim of enlisting public support for the work of the Force. Information about Police activities was shared with the media on a 24-hour basis via the PPRB's interactive electronic platform.
The PPRB continued to use the Police Public Page, the Police Mobile Application, the Police YouTube channel, the Police Facebook page and the Police Instagram account to communicate with the media and general public. Furthermore, the Police officially launched the HKP Weibo on January 29 to strengthen anti-crime and anti-scam promotions targeting mainlanders in Hong Kong. The Police also established the HKP Twitter page to distribute police messages, and to disseminate timely messages to the public during major events. To enhance the effectiveness of police social media platforms, the PPRB worked across popular online platforms and in collaboration with other Government departments to produce content.
From June 2019, a swell of misinformation and unfounded rumours relating to the police began to circulate on the internet and elsewhere, resulting in public trust in and support for the Force being compromised. In response, the Police held a total of 57 press conferences in 2019 at which accurate information was passed on to the media, false rumours and accusations were clarified and corrected, and media questions were responded to in detail. In addition, various social media platforms were used to disseminate messages and respond to allegations, and short videos were produced that provided the public with factual information in response to groundless rumours. Since November 2019, the Police have established and sent Police Social Media Live Teams to the scenes of operations to conduct live broadcasts, with a view to further enhancing the transparency of their work and providing members of the public with another perspective on the latest situations at scenes.
The Force Media Liaison Cadre (FMLC) facilitates media activities on the ground, and provides media liaison support for major security operations, public order events and large-scale ad hoc incidents and accidents. In total, the FMLC was mobilised on 466 occasions in 2019, with 408 of these occurring during Operation TIDERIDER.
The Force launched its own Twitter and Weibo pages during the year.
The Force collaborated on the production of TV drama PTU2019, which was launched in April.
From August onwards, the Force held media press conferences at 4pm every day to report on police work under Operation TIDERIDER.
Members of the Force Media Liaison Cadre at a scene of police operation.
A key role of Police Community Relations Officers is to keep members of the public informed about Police policies and operational priorities as well as disseminate community education messages relating to crime prevention and police work to the public. The Junior Police Call (JPC) Scheme and the Police School Liaison Programme have continued to serve as valuable bridges between the Police and young people in Hong Kong. The Force is enhancing its interactions and building mutual trust with young people through initiatives that include organising the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) Level 3 accredited Certificate in Knowledge of Policing programme, running an E-sports programme, running a Cross-disciplined Forces Training Programme for ethnic minority youth, and collaborating with universities on Co-creation Project.
In early 2019, a new PH Race obstacle course facility was unveiled at JPC@Pat Heung. On April 21, the first PH Race invitation race was conducted with representatives from the disciplinary forces, police formations, youth uniformed groups and tertiary students. The PH Race elements have also been incorporated into routine sports and teambuilding training at the camp.
The PPRB Senior Police Call (SPC) Scheme, which has over 11,800 members in 21 Police districts, continued to share messages about crime prevention and personal safety with the elderly.
The Good Citizen Award scheme was introduced in 1973 to recognise individuals who have made significant contributions towards fighting crime. In 2019, the Force presented 39 Good Citizens Awards to individuals who had contributed in this way.
Contenders in the PH Race obstacle course event celebrating on reaching the finishing line.
The Force works in partnership with the community, and adopts a multiagency approach to improve road safety and traffic congestion.
In collaboration with the Road Safety Council, the Hong Kong Road Safety Association and other stakeholders, the Hong Kong Police initiated a variety of road safety publicity campaigns during the year to support the vision of Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong’s Goal.
Chairperson of the Road Safety Council and Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Siu Chak-yee (left) interacting with participants at the Road Safety Council 46th Anniversary Ceremony cum Road Safety City Carnival.
Traffic Branch Headquarters has developed an e-Ticketing Pilot Scheme to be launched in the first quarter of 2020, in which all traffic wardens will participate.
The scheme will first apply to fixed penalty tickets against illegal parking. The new system digitises the current processes of hand-written tickets and back-end processing to enhance the overall enforcement accuracy.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition system has been installed and is now being used in traffic police vehicles.
A Police mobile phone with the relevant mobile application installed, and a portable printer for printing fixed penalty tickets.
The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system automatically reads the registration marks of passing vehicles, and compares the readings against a database of registration marks of interest to the police, such as vehicles licensed to disqualified drivers, stolen vehicles etc. In 2019, the Force’s ANPR capability was expanded with the move from static to mobile operations, following the installation of ANPR equipment in traffic police vehicles.
The Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force supports the frontline crowd management operations and beat patrol duties of the regular Force. The Auxiliary Police Force currently has an establishment of 4,501 members. In the financial year 2018/19, the Auxiliary Police Force enrolled 199 new volunteers from all walks of life.
In June 2019, the Hong Kong Police launched an operation codenamed TIDERIDER to deal with the public events, including protests, public processions and public meetings, that took place in response to the government’s introduction of the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019. Many of these events, more than 1,000 of which have taken place since June 2019, escalated into large-scale violent confrontations which posed an unprecedented threat to public safety and public order.
During these violent confrontations, protesters inflicted severe damage on private and government property and transport systems, including local retail stores, government buildings, banking facilities and MTR stations, as well as paralysing traffic. Various potentially lethal weapons were used in attacks against both places and people, including bricks, sharpened instruments, metal rods, bows and arrows, petrol bombs, corrosive liquids and explosive substances. Police officers were assaulted and police vehicles and premises were attacked and damaged. Assaults were also made on those with different political views, and one innocent member of the public died as a result. Besides displaying a wanton disregard for the law, these and similar actions posed a severe threat to public safety and order.
As a law enforcement agency, the Hong Kong Police Force has the legal obligation to maintain public safety and public order. Throughout Operation TIDERIDER, Police officers displayed full professionalism and executed their duties impartially. In spite of the challenges and confrontations, officers stood fast at their posts and remained united, exercising professionalism and a high degree of restraint in the execution of their duties.
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