[ Foreword ] [ Memorable Events ] [ Force Family ] [ Operations ] [ Regional Commanders' Report ] [ National Security ] [ Personnel and Training ]
[ Management Services ]
[ Finance, Administration and Planning ] [ Environmental Report ] [ Organisation ]
[ Appendices ]
> Integrity and honesty
> Respect for the rights of members of the public and of the Force
> Fairness, impartiality and compassion in all our dealings
> Acceptance of responsibility and accountability
> Professionalism
> Dedication to quality service and continuous improvement
> Responsiveness to change
> Effective communication both within and outwith the Force
In 2020, the National Security Law (NSL) resolutely enacted by the Central Government became a turning point in Hong Kong’s transition from chaos to stability. Right after the NSL took effect, the Force set up a dedicated National Security Department on June 30 with the single-minded purpose of enforcing the law stringently. Government departments worked together proactively and, with broad support from the public, order returned to society. To maintain the hard-won peace, the Force will, on one hand, make every effort to combat crime and reinstate a sense of security among the public, and on the other hand, give of our best to enhance collaboration among all sectors so as to safeguard the security of Hong Kong and our country.
The year 2020 was also a time of devastation wreaked by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the world, and Hong Kong was not immune. In line with our motto of ‘Serving Hong Kong’, the Force fully facilitated the anti-pandemic work of the Government to fight the virus together with the public.
Through this Review, the Force is putting on record the unstinting resolve with which our different formations discharged their duties in the spirit of ‘Serving Hong Kong with Honour, Duty and Loyalty’ over the past 12 months.
Commissioner Tang Ping-keung
The Force logged 63,232 cases of crime overall in 2020, an increase of 4,007 cases compared with 59,225 in 2019. The rise was mainly due to significantly more instances of deception and blackmail, which went up by 7,337 and 984 cases respectively.
Usage of social media during the pandemic was more frequent, a trend which could be driving the higher incidence of deception and blackmail. With this in mind, the Force stepped up online publicity to raise public awareness of fraud so that residents would be alert to cyber pitfalls. Through its Anti-Scam Helpline, the Anti-Deception Co-ordination Centre succeeded in stopping victims in more than 300 scams from sending funds to fraudsters, intercepting transfer attempts of $3 billion in total.
The number of violent crimes decreased by 299 cases from 9,690 to 9,391 as the Police adopted active strategies in law enforcement. The effective implementation of the NSL, combined with deterrent sentences passed down in court on violent crimes, alleviated both the frequency and scale of violence-related public events, eventually bringing social order back to normal.
As the social situation stabilised, the Force built on the momentum of the renewed calm and threw itself into tackling traditional crimes with increased resources while reinstilling a sense of security in the public. The efforts yielded positive results. Burglaries in 2020 decreased 12.5 per cent to 2,095 cases after an increase of 47.1 per cent in the first six months of the year over the same period in 2019. Robbery reports posted an overall rise of 25.7 per cent from 2019 to 264 cases, tempered by the substantially improved situation in the second half of 2020 after the first half saw a threefold increase compared with the same period in 2019.
Our endeavours to lift society out of chaos earned plaudits from the community, and Yazhou Zhoukan, a Chinese weekly magazine, selected the Hong Kong Police Force as its ‘Person of the Year’ for 2019.
Force senior officers
With the riots in retreat, the Force expedited and redoubled its efforts to connect with the community. The Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB), as the public relations arm of the Force, played a pivotal role to bring about a number of breakthroughs in key areas. Notable among these achievements was a new programme, ‘Offbeat On Air’, which was produced in-house and launched on Facebook and YouTube to replace a previous show jointly produced with Radio Television Hong Kong. Offbeat, the fortnightly newspaper published by the PPRB, began to be printed on premium paper and also started sharing a feature story on the front page of each issue. The Offbeat Special Edition was another fresh attempt by the PPRB to help readers get a well-rounded picture of the Force by highlighting different themes.
To target deception, the PPRB created ‘The Little Grape’, an anti-scam mascot that would spread crime prevention messages in a light-hearted manner, with the intended effect of raising public awareness and encouraging vigilance against fraudsters.
The year also saw the release of the Force’s very first theme song. This was made possible through the initiative of veteran singer Chung Chun-to (aka Kenny Bee) and his team to compose ‘Safeguard Hong Kong’, which was enchanting in its melody and inspirational in its lyrics to capture the Force’s professionalism. The song was well received and collected a host of awards.
To answer public concern over cases of animal cruelty, the Force went full steam ahead and launched the Animal Watchers Programme (AWP). We formed the AWP Central Advisory Committee in late 2020, comprising community leaders, representatives of animal welfare organisations, academics and other experts, to give professional advice and recommendations. About 200 members from the community were recruited as AWP Captains and AWP Watchers to pool the efforts of animal lovers.
The pandemic was a protracted challenge requiring the Force to devote considerable resources to helping the Government implement control measures, fully demonstrating our commitment to ‘Serving Hong Kong’. We maintained close contact with other Government departments to facilitate and enforce measures under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), including community isolation and compulsory testing. Regular police officers and retired colleagues joined hands to set up a new special unit, the Police Anti-Coronavirus Contingent, to render full support to different aspects of anti-pandemic work. The Force also offered the JPC@Pat Heung as a quarantine centre and made use of the Major Incident Investigation and Disaster Support System, dubbed ‘supercomputer’, to trace transmission sources and close contacts of confirmed cases of COVID-19. The system analysed more than 8,000 confirmed cases and close contacts during the year, making a solid contribution to the fight against the disease.
Commissioner Tang Ping-keung visits frontline officers.
Commissioner Tang Ping-keung inspects anti-pandemic work.
Commissioner Tang Ping-keung shows support for staff assisting anti-pandemic work.
Technological progress took frontline work to a new level with the launch of an e-Ticketing Pilot Scheme in the first quarter to enhance accuracy and efficiency in traffic enforcement, followed by the rollout of the Fourth Generation Command and Control Communications System Radios (CC4 Radios) at the year-end. The CC4 Radio is more compact than its predecessors in the series, enabling a faster and more accurate grasp of the situation and thus raising communication and operational efficiency.
The Force is committed to enhancing its services by leveraging technology. The Innovation & Solution Lab set up by the Information Security Wing optimises workflow by applying digital technology, and is conducting preliminary studies on different technologies, such as big data analysis, the 5G mobile network and the internet of things. Research and development during the year focused on an internal instant messaging application that would transmit messages, photos and videos on a secure and convenient internal communication platform, allowing officers to better grasp and assess emergencies. The application will be launched in the first quarter of 2021.
Commissioner Tang Ping-keung visits a Police formation.
During the year, the NSL decisively enacted by the Central Government and fully implemented by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) helped the city embark on a path away from chaos and towards stability. On May 28, 2020, the National People’s Congress adopted the Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the HKSAR to Safeguard National Security. On the evening of June 30, the Chief Executive promulgated the implementation of the NSL in Hong Kong. On July 1, the National Security Department of the Force was established, marking the Force’s commitment to safeguarding national security and taking on the enforcement of the NSL with rock-solid determination. On November 5, the National Security Department set up its own reporting hotline to offer a convenient channel for the public to work with the Force in safeguarding national security. As at December 31, more than 40,000 messages had been received in the two months since its launch.
The Force strives to instil a sense of national identity and pride among colleagues. On November 21, the Force, for the first time, conducted a flag-raising ceremony and played the national anthem during the passing-out parade. To give the Force’s future leaders a more comprehensive and thorough understanding of the country, the Force partnered with Tsinghua University, a leading university on the Mainland, to organise a Master of Public Administration programme. The collaboration with a world-class institution set a milestone in the Force’s training development.
With the support of the country and the community, the Force did its utmost to bring the violence to an end. We pledge full readiness in the days ahead to respond to risks, safeguard Hong Kong and work hand in hand with the public to sustain our hard-won stability, with the mandate of ‘Serving Hong Kong with Honour, Duty and Loyalty’ firmly etched in our hearts.
National Security Department
Commissioner Tang Ping-keung inspects Police College passing-out parade.
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