Operations

Overall, crimes reported to the Police in 2025 totalled 89,137 cases, a decrease of 5,610 cases (down 5.9%) compared with 2024 (94,747 cases). There were 8,823 cases of violent crimes, a decrease of 1,662 cases (down 15.9%) compared with 2024 (10,485 cases).

For every 100,000 people, 1,184 cases were reported, of which 117 were classified as violent crimes, compared with 1,259 and 139 cases respectively in 2024. The overall detection rate in 2025 dropped marginally by 0.1 percentage point to 30.3%, while the detection rate for violent crimes rose by 7 percentage points to 58.7%.

In 2025, 43,212 deception cases were recorded, a slight decrease of 2.9% compared with 2024, yet it still accounted for nearly half of all reported crimes. The Force continues to focus on combating deception. In addition to strengthening anti-deception publicity and education, the Force proactively collaborates with relevant government departments and industry stakeholders, reinforces multi-agency cooperation to build systemic preventive measures, and enhances intelligence-led enforcement actions against fraud.

Organised Crime and Triad Activities

The Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) combats organised and serious crimes, as well as triad-related activities, through proactive and intelligence-led operations and investigations.

During the year, the Bureau, together with police authorities of Guangdong and Macao, launched the tripartite anti-crime operation, THUNDERBOLT 2025 (phase I from August to September, and phase II in October), resulting in 4,140 arrests and the seizure of crime proceeds totalling more than $500 million.

The Bureau also planned and executed targeted operations, including SKYCASTLE, FIREDAN, CUTWEED and STRANGEFACE, to combat triad societies and highly organised crime syndicates. By deploying undercover and decoy officers to infiltrate and gather evidence of drug trafficking, illegal gambling and prostitution activities run by several triad societies, multiple premises were raided and neutralised, including private clubs, drug divans, bars, illegal gambling establishments and massage parlours. A total of 428 persons were arrested. Among the seizures, there were over $17.5 million in cash, approximately 4.4 kilograms of drugs with an estimated street value of $2.25 million, weapons, and numerous items related to drug trafficking, gambling and prostitution.

In tackling illegal gambling, the Bureau, in conjunction with other Force units, mounted Operation DENBREAKER in November. Three illegal bookmaking centres suspected to be controlled by the same syndicate were neutralised, with 25 core syndicate members arrested and a large number of mobile phones, computers and documents seized. Investigations revealed that the illegal bookmaking syndicate had handled bets amounting to more than $420 million since January 2024.

As a member of the Security Bureau’s dedicated task force, the OCTB sent officers to Thailand to handle request-for-assistance cases of Hong Kong residents claiming to be detained in Southeast Asian countries, and assisted a total of 26 Hong Kong residents in returning home safely in 2025.

Criminal Intelligence

As the intelligence hub of the Force, the Criminal Intelligence Bureau manages the Force’s intelligence system and provides intelligence support to major operations and serious crime investigations. To foster intelligence-led policing across the Force, the Bureau strengthens the intelligence network, upgrades computer systems related to intelligence analysis, facilitates the effective flow of intelligence and provides professional training. The Bureau targets triad societies and highly organised crime syndicates, and continues to combat transnational and cross-boundary crimes jointly with designated Chinese Mainland, Macao and overseas law enforcement intelligence agencies.

Commercial Crime

The Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) investigates complex commercial crimes, including a serious fraud targeting government funds. In August, the Bureau took over the investigation of a fraudulent scheme to obtain a government office bottled drinking water supply contract. Two management staff members of the concerned company were arrested, and the amount involved reached $50 million. The Bureau also cooperated with Chinese Mainland law enforcement agencies to trace the source of the drinking water supplied to Hong Kong.

The CCB actively combats investment fraud. Since 2023, the Force had been investigating a fraud case concerning a virtual asset trading platform, which involved more than 2,700 victims and resulted in total losses exceeding $1.6 billion. In November 2025, 16 individuals involved were prosecuted for offences including conspiracy to defraud, money laundering (ML), and, for the first time, fraudulently or recklessly inducing others to invest in virtual assets.

The Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) under the CCB plays a pivotal role in combating deception and raising public awareness of various types of scams. In 2025, the ADCC continued to deepen its strategic partnership with the banking and securities industries, including real-time intelligence sharing with banks via the Anti-Deception Alliance; continuing the Upstream Scam Intervention scheme to issue timely warnings to potential victims through SMS, telephone calls and other means; continuously disseminating the latest scam tactics to the industries to enhance the sensitivity and responsiveness of their fraud monitoring systems; and actively improving the efficiency of fund interception with the industries. During the year, the ADCC received 110,169 enquiry calls from the public and banks, intercepted $2.09 billion in fraud proceeds across 1,552 cases, and promptly prevented 4,060 ongoing scams, avoiding more than $482 million in potential losses.

To combat cross-boundary deception, the ADCC, together with anti-scam centres from various countries and regions, established the cross-boundary anti-scam collaboration platform FRONTIER+ in October 2024. From April to May, the ADCC conducted the first joint operation with six FRONTIER+ members, resulting in more than 1,800 arrests and the interception of approximately $157 million in fraud proceeds. FRONTIER+ will continue to invite more anti-scam centres from other jurisdictions to join, expanding the anti-fraud network and enhancing enforcement effectiveness.

The CCB hosted the fifth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Economic Crime Investigation Conference in June, where officers engaged in in-depth discussion of various topics with the Economic Crime Investigation Department of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department and the Macao Judiciary Police, including the current economic crime situation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao area. The three parties agreed to strengthen collaboration to combat major cross-boundary economic crimes.

The Fraud and Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce (FMLIT) convened its 14th Strategic Group Meeting in April. Members of the FMLIT include representatives from regulatory bodies, law enforcement agencies and financial institutions. The meeting aimed to advance public-private collaboration in combating fraud and ML, explore ways to enhance intelligence exchange, and jointly safeguard Hong Kong’s financial system.

E-Crime Processing and Analysis Hub

The e-Crime Processing and Analysis Hub is a one-stop platform with three core functions, namely receiving reports, analysing cases and making referrals. The Hub effectively shortens the processing time for technology crime and deception-related e-reports, and works closely with the ADCC to enhance the efficiency of handling relevant cases.

Cyber Security and Technology Crime

The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) combats technology crime and safeguards Hong Kong’s cybersecurity by partnering with the community, local and international stakeholders.

During the year, the CSTCB conducted various intelligence-led operat ions and maintained close cooperat ion wi th Chinese Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies. Through law enforcement and cybersecur i ty defence operations targeting illicit activities including online fraud, child exploitation, system intrusions and online extortion, the CSTCB handled over 35 million pieces of cyber threat intelligence, submitted more than 68,000 requests to network service providers for the removal of inappropriate content, arrested 70 cyber criminals, and froze virtual assets equivalent to $480 million.

The Scameter+ mobile application was further upgraded in October, introducing an artificial intelligence analysis engine linked to a public reporting platform enabling risk assessment in real time. The application also automatically updates its database, delivering faster and more accurate anti-scam push alerts. In 2025, the application recorded over 1.14 million downloads and 11.7 million searches.

The CSTCB hosted the Cyber Command Course in February, attracting commanders from crime units of the Headquarters, Regional and District criminal investigation teams, and the Macao Judiciary Police. Through thematic sharing and simulation exercises, the course enhanced participants’ capabilities in criminal investigation, online intelligence gathering and digital forensics. In the same month, the CSTCB co-hosted the overseas Cyber Command Course with INTERPOL in Thailand, attracting over 50 cyber commanders and international organisation representatives from 22 countries and regions. The course focused on collaboration in intelligence exchange, joint operations and training to combat increasingly sophisticated cybercrime modus operandi.

INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Expert Group (CyberEX) was relaunched in 2025, and at its meeting, Chief Superintendent of the CSTCB, Mr Lam Cheuk-ho, was elected Chairperson for a two-year term. Bringing together over 170 experts from 73 countries and regions, the CyberEX promotes the exchange of experience to support the development of strategies against global cybercrime.

In public education, the CSTCB organised various online and offline anti-crime promotional activities to proactively enhance public awareness of fraud prevention and cybersecurity, including the Anti-Crime Elite Games 2025, the Greater Bay Area Youth AI and CyberSec Challenge 2025, the BugHunting Campaign, the Ethical Phishing Email Campaign, and a series of workshops to enhance digital literacy and cybersecurity knowledge of the members of the public. In October, the CSTCB, in collaboration with the Education Bureau and the Digital Policy Office, launched the CyberDefenders' Alliance Card Game in primary and secondary schools across the territory, using board games to develop a proper concept of cybersecurity among young people.

Narcotics

The Narcotics Bureau is committed to combating drug trafficking activities and interdicting the flow of illicit drugs into Hong Kong through close partnerships with stakeholders and law enforcement agencies. The Bureau also promotes anti-drug awareness among the public through various preventive education and publicity campaigns featuring the anti-drug mascot Mighty Cat.

Intelligence-led law enforcement operations throughout the year detected 138 cases, resulting in 219 arrests and the seizure of approximately 4.19 tonnes of drugs. In response to an upsurge in drug trafficking cases involving inbound air passengers, an anti-narcotics operation codenamed BOLDHIT was jointly mounted with the Customs and Excise Department and multiple Chinese Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies, resulting in 96 arrests and the seizure of approximately 1.2 tonnes of various drugs.

To combat etomidate trafficking, particularly through the internet and social media, the Bureau launched Operations AMBERFLOCK and REPLYPLAN during the year. These operations led to the arrest of 276 persons and the seizure of 720 kilograms of illicit drugs, including 24 litres of liquid etomidate, 4,924 etomidate cartridges and 45 kilograms of cannabis with the total value reaching $400 million. Moreover, 82 social media accounts were taken down. To enhance enforcement efforts against etomidate, the Force introduced the Etomidate Rapid Test Kits in January, enabling frontline officers to conduct on-site rapid tests on suspicious persons. By the end of 2025, 146 persons had been arrested through the use of these kits.

Building on the achievements of the previous three cohorts, the Leadership Institute on Narcotics (L.I.O.N.) entered its fourth cohort in 2025, recruiting 100 secondary school and university students as mentees and providing them with enhanced training in light of the latest trend of etomidate. Between September and October, the mentees were divided into small teams and organised on-campus anti-drug campaigns at 20 secondary schools, including joint visits to drug rehabilitation facilities, as well as creating a mixed reality simulation that replicated the sensory effects of drug-driving in order to convey anti-drug messages to their peers and teachers. Notably, an anti-drug micro-movie produced by one of the teams was shortlisted for an international film festival, drawing local and overseas attention to drug-related issues. During the year, the mentees disseminated anti-drug messages to over 51,000 members of the public. In October, the Bureau co-organised the two-day Anti-Crime Elite Games 2025 at the West Kowloon Cultural District with the CCB, the CSTCB, the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, and the Family Conflict and Sexual Violence Policy Unit. Nearly 100 mentees joined and set up 20 anti-drug interactive game booths to educate the public on the dangers of etomidate.

Safeguarding schools against etomidate was the Bureau’s publicity focus in 2025. The Bureau launched the 'Interactive Anti-Drug Theatre–A Space Study Adventure', targeting primary school students. Staged between March and July for 31 performances, the play adopted an engaging and interactive approach to debunk myths about etomidate and highlight the harm of drugs to nearly 4,500 audiences, reinforcing the ‘Drugs? Never, ever!' message.

Financial Intelligence and Investigation

In 2025, deception cases remained high while related ML activities continued to rise. The use of virtual assets and stooge accounts for ML became increasingly prevalent.

The Financial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (FIIB), comprising its Headquarters, the Financial Investigation Division, and the Joint Financial Intelligence Unit (JFIU), adopts a proactive and comprehensive approach to strengthen the Force’s capabilities on anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) in the face of these challenges.

The Financial Investigation Division is responsible for conducting financial investigations and recovering assets from ML syndicates. During the year, 923 persons were convicted of ML, with approximately $261 million and $125 million in assets restrained and confiscated respectively. The Division conducted three joint operations with Chinese Mainland and Singapore law enforcement agencies, dismantling three cross-border ML syndicates and arresting 44 persons.

The JFIU is committed to enhancing cooperation with local, Chinese Mainland and overseas agencies to exchange financial intelligence for combating ML and terrorist financing activities. During the year, the JFIU processed and analysed 190,636 suspicious transaction reports, representing a year-on-year increase of 29.1%.

The Division, together with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Association of Banks, launched the Financial Intelligence Evaluation Sharing Tool, a platform that enables participating banks to exchange information on corporate customers suspected of involvement in financial crimes, thereby detecting and disrupting fraud and stooge account networks more effectively. As of 2025, 10 banks have joined the platform, with plans for further expansion to include more banks. Following the commencement of the Banking (Amendment) Bill 2025, a new data processing function, including the handling of personal data, was introduced to the platform in December. This allows the financial industry to exchange data of individual customers with suspicious accounts according to the relevant legislation and facilitates earlier identification of suspicious accounts by banks.

In January, the FIIB launched the Transaction Analytics System, enabling investigators to analyse fund flows and network connections more efficiently. The system will undergo phased integration from 2025 to 2027, incorporating artificial intelligence to expand data connectivity.

In July, the Bureau sent representatives to Luxembourg to attend the annual plenary meeting of the Egmont Group, held bilateral meetings with various overseas financial intelligence units (FIUs), and signed Memoranda of Understanding with the FIUs of the Maldives and Timor-Leste to enhance bilateral intelligence exchange. In December, the Bureau hosted its first-ever international online seminar on combating financial crimes, attracting 197 FIUs and law enforcement agencies from 65 jurisdictions to participate.

During the AML Month in August, the Bureau hosted the Financial Institutions AML Forum again, inviting banks, stored value facility operators and virtual asset service providers to share AML strategies and insights on leveraging technology to combat financial crimes. The Bureau also published the AML educational booklet No Grey Zone, including relevant legislation and case studies, to deepen public understanding of AML laws. To strengthen awareness among non-local individuals, the Bureau partnered with Alipay for the first time to send AML alert messages to Chinese Mainland users of the electronic payment platform while they are visiting Hong Kong.

The Money Laundering Expert Cadre, a volunteer secondary duty cadre with over 50 members, supports frontline financial investigations, provides expert evidence in courts, and furnishes data to courts under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 455) in support of applications for enhanced sentences against stooge account holders in ML cases. As of 2025, the sentences of 279 stooge account holders in 230 cases had been increased by 13% to 33%, thereby strengthening the deterrent effect.

Liaison

The Liaison Bureau facilitates communication with stakeholders and strategic partners in combating crime and exchanging intelligence. It coordinates different types of meetings through various platforms, conducts high-level exchanges with other law enforcement agencies on strategic matters, and maintains conversations with strategic partners to meet cross-border investigative needs. The Bureau also strives to maintain effective partnerships with Chinese Mainland, Macao and overseas law enforcement agencies. In terms of training, the Bureau works with Chinese Mainland authorities and INTERPOL to provide Force members with the latest information on crime trends and other policing knowledge.

Crime Prevention

The Crime Prevention Bureau (CPB) adopts a multi-pronged approach to promote crime prevention. In May, the CPB held the SafeCity Ambassadors Appointment and Recognition Ceremony 2025, appointing a new batch of 19 SafeCity Ambassadors and commending 10 organisations which actively disseminated crime prevention messages over the past year. The Hong Kong Housing Authority was also presented with the ‘SafeCity Crime Prevention Partner' award. By the end of 2025, the crime prevention website, SafeCity.HK, had recorded over 17.3 million page views, and added a hyperlink to the Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit, enabling the public to understand terrorism threats and acquire emergency response capabilities. In addition, the CPB established the Crime Alert Network in 2022 to disseminate crime prevention information to partners via instant messaging platforms. Currently, more than 3.37 million persons receive anti-crime information weekly from the Force.

The CPB continues to provide professional security advice to public and private organisations, security companies and property management companies. It also organises the Standard Crime Prevention Course annually, inviting working partners to share the latest crime prevention technologies with a view to enhancing officers' professional knowledge.

Utilising Technologies to Prevent and Combat Crime

Under the Government-led territory-wide initiative, ‘SmartView’, the Police coordinate the use of inter-departmental resources and collaborate with different government departments to enhance the Force’s capabilities in crime prevention and detection through the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, thereby enhancing the overall district security level. By the end of 2025, the Force had completed the installation of 5,000 sets of CCTV cameras across various districts in Hong Kong. The CCTV cameras have provided crucial leads in over 760 criminal cases, showcasing their significant role in enhancing detection efficiency.

Forensic Support

The Identification Bureau provides professional fingerprint examination, firearms-related forensics, DNA collection and photography services to the Force and other law enforcement agencies.

Criminal Records

The Criminal Records Bureau provides round-the-clock support to frontline police officers and other government departments in relation to information on the Police Operational Nominal Index Computer System. To enhance operational efficiency and optimise internal processes, the Bureau has proactively applied technology to digitalise its workflow in recent years.

Family Conflict and Sexual Violence Policy Unit

The Family Conflict and Sexual Violence Policy Unit formulates, implements and reviews the Force’s policies and procedures regarding child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, sexual violence and juvenile crime, to ensure consistent and professional police action. The Unit works closely with other government departments and non-governmental organisations on multi-disciplinary procedures, inter-agency cooperation, training and coordination within its policy areas.

The Unit constantly strives to improve procedures for handling child abuse cases. The Vulnerable Witness and Child Protection Task Force, formed in collaboration with the Department of Justice in 2022, has handled hundreds of cases involving vulnerable witnesses, including child abuse within institutions, fatal cases of child maltreatment, sexual assault involving minors and organised prostitution. Cross-departmental collaboration has also effectively expedited investigations, prosecutions, and the improvement of welfare support. Additionally, to support the commencement of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (Cap. 650) on January 20, 2026, the Unit actively organises briefing sessions with stakeholders and works closely with the Social Welfare Department, playing a vital role in implementing reporting guidelines and the e-reporting platform, and enabling 25 categories of specified professionals to report serious child abuse cases as far as practicable.

In 2024, the Unit collaborated with the Psychological Services Group to conduct a survey on online sexual grooming, interviewing 2,000 students from Secondary One to Four. The findings revealed that over 60% of the interviewed students had received explicit messages, requests for nude photographs, or invitations to meet in person which subsequently led to sexual assault. On March 25, the Unit held a Multi-Disciplinary Seminar on Navigating Online Grooming Risks: Spotting and Stopping Them, which was attended by over 500 parents and stakeholders both online and in person, to explore from multiple perspectives the risks of online sexual grooming faced by children and strategies to address the problem. In October, the Unit conveyed child protection messages to the public through the Anti-Crime Elite Games 2025.

Major Incident Investigation and Disaster Support

The Major Incident Investigation and Disaster Support System continues to provide support to Force units and other government departments. By handling and managing vast amounts of data and crime information, as well as analysing complex incidents, the system enhances the effectiveness of crime and major disaster investigation.

Witness Protection

Apart from running the witness protection programme, the Witness Protection Unit also provides safety advice and ensures the personal safety of vulnerable individuals and victims of serious crimes.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal

During the year, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau successfully handled 83 explosive-related incidents, including explosive discoveries and the disposal of conventional munitions. In September, the Bureau, together with relevant Police units and other government departments, disposed of an approximately 1,000-pound World War II American aerial bomb at a construction site in Quarry Bay within 24 hours, ensuring public safety of the community.

Training at Police Tactical Unit Headquarters

The Police Tactical Unit Headquarters (PTU HQs) is responsible for conducting comprehensive training of public event, and anti-crime, anti-riot and counter-terrorism (CT) tactics and deployment, as well as providing other associated training to officers.

With the anticipated mega events, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Finance Ministers' Meeting and the INTERPOL General Assembly which will be held in the fourth quarter of 2026, the PTU HQs conducted intensive research and analysis of large-scale operations in recent years to consolidate and refine the relevant training content, focusing on crowd management and emergency and contingency response planning. Also, the PTU HQs proactively adopted new technology and equipment, including an interactive multiplayer simulation system, drones and a mixed reality training system, to augment the Force’s operational efficiency.

The PTU HQs also collaborates with other government departments, non-governmental organisations, schools, private organisations and relevant commercial stakeholders to conduct various exercises to raise public awareness of national security, CT and major incidents, and enhance the confidence of all sectors of the community in the Force.

Counter Terrorism and Major Incident Policies

The Counter Terrorism and Major Incidents Bureau was established in June 2024, which comprises the Counter Terrorism and Major Incidents Division, the Counter Terrorism Response and Exercise Division and the Special Duties Unit.

The Counter Terrorism and Major Incidents Division formulates, implements and reviews the Force’s policies and orders relating to CT and major incidents. In the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address, it was announced that a three-tier prevention framework would be introduced. The Division continues to provide support for the inter-departmental working groups at the third tier.

The Division also closely collaborates with government departments, private organisations and other law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism and respond to the risks and impacts of major incidents. The Division is also responsible for operational command-related policies and training within the Force, including the operation of the Command Cadre and the organisation of command training courses.

To ensure the smooth running of the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG), the Division conducted a series of high-profile CT exercises at every competition venue. The Division also held an inter-departmental tabletop exercise in March, which was supported by representatives from 17 bureaux and departments, disciplined services and relevant organisations, with over 300 representatives participating in total, as a final-stage preparation for the events.

Counter Terrorism Response and Exercises

The Counter Terrorism Response and Exercise Division is responsible for strategically deploying the Counter Terrorism Response Unit to protect critical infrastructures, sensitive premises and high-risk public places with heavy pedestrian flow to ensure a rapid and effective response to any terrorist activity, and providing enhanced security measures for, among others, VIPs, sensitive court cases and major events based on risk assessments. In addition, the Division conducts and coordinates CT and other thematic exercises of the entire Force, with a view to implementing a standardised and systematic exercise strategy.

Special Duties

The Special Duties Unit is the Force’s definitive armed tactical intervention unit, which is capable of executing special missions across sea, land and air environments, and responding to terrorist attacks, hostage taking and armed cases.

Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Collaboration

Under the Three-tier Prevention Framework, the Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit (ICTU) plays a key role in strengthening the collaboration among government departments as well as public and private organisations.

During the year, the ICTU continued to conduct CT exercises and diversified publicity activities to enhance the coordination and response capabilities among the departments for terrorist attacks and emergencies, and to convey CT messages to the public proactively. In August, the ICTU conducted a large-scale inter-departmental CT exercise codenamed BRAVELIGHT at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. In September, the ICTU, jointly with the Tertiary Institutions Safety Advisory Group and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, organised the Chemical Safety and Security Month to enhance public awareness of chemical safety through publicity and education, inspections and enforcement, as well as emergency response exercises. In November, the ICTU, partnered with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, launched a mobile education truck, Safe Community Plus+, which toured across the territory to enable the public to acquire anti-crime and CT knowledge with a learning through play approach.

Exercises and Tests

To ensure the smooth opening and commissioning of the Kai Tak Sports Park, the Force established an Exercise Team under the Task Group on Kai Tak Sports Park Tests and Drills chaired by the Secretary for Security to conduct stress tests, simulate emergency scenarios and perform traffic load tests to enhance coordination and response capabilities among departments and stakeholders.

Major Events Bureau

The Major Events Bureau is responsible for coordinating the Force’s overall strategies and specific policies for handling major events, and assessing preparedness and responsiveness for related events. The Bureau comprises three divisions, namely the Major Events Planning Division, the Police Public Engagement Office, and the Key Points and Search Division.

Major Event Planning and Coordination

The Major Events Planning Division serves as the key coordinator among the Senior Force Management, relevant Force formations, organisers and other stakeholders in public and private sectors in the formulation of operational plans for major events. The Government spares no effort in staging and supporting international mega events and activities to enhance Hong Kong’s image and competitiveness. The Division engages with organisers and relevant stakeholders, and coordinates the work among the Force’s major formations to make sure that events are conducted under proper planning and in a safe, orderly and secure manner.

Police Public Engagement Office

To ensure the smooth and orderly running of public events, the Police Public Engagement Office monitors prevalent issues, collates relevant information for risk assessments, and strategically engages with stakeholders and event organisers to facilitate communication and enhance mutual understanding among all parties.

Key Points and Search Division

The Key Points and Search Division is responsible for formulating strategies and policies for venue searches and security screening as well as the protection of important facilities. It is also responsible for training and deploying police drones and police dogs.

To ensure the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG were conducted in a safe and orderly manner, members of the Force Search Unit and the Police Dog Unit conducted rigorous searches and formulated detailed security screening plans at all competition venues.

Pilot Scheme for Operational Deployment of Drones

In line with the Force’s Strategic Direction of smart policing, the Key Points and Search Division launched the first phase of the Pilot Scheme for Operational Deployment of Drones in May. The Kowloon West Region deployed drones for high-altitude patrols in the urban areas through manual flight mode, while the Border District utilised an automated drone docking system for patrols, enhancing the operational efficiency as well as the crime prevention, law enforcement and operational effectiveness. The second phase of the Scheme is expected to be launched in January 2026, expanding to the Peak Sub-Division, the Cheung Chau Division, and selected Police Districts across all Regions.

Operational Command and Control

The Operations Bureau oversees the Force’s operational matters, executes territory-wide operations, operates the Headquarters Command and Control Centre round-the-clock, and formulates and reviews policing policies on boundary security and illegal immigration. The Bureau has been the Force’s focal point with other government departments for operational matters and is also responsible for liaison with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison.

Critical Infrastructure Protection

Under the Three-tier Prevention Framework, the Critical Infrastructure Security Coordination Centre coordinates a cross-bureau working group to formulate counter-terrorism strategies and brings together subject matter experts to address security threats. Through public-private partnership and risk management, the Centre promotes security-by-design and technological applications in major infrastructures such as the Kai Tak Sports Park, assists in formulating management and control protocols as well as safety and contingency plans, conducts security walkthroughs and assessments, and provides comprehensive support for facilities. The Centre also regularly participates in major security conferences and strengthens liaison with relevant Chinese Mainland and overseas institutions for professional and international benchmarking. The Centre also organises training courses and seminars for disciplined services and stakeholders, provides online information and immersive learning tools, shares practical experience and raises awareness of safeguarding critical infrastructures.

Force Command Structure

The Command Cadre comprises a strictly selected pool of highly trained commanders who are capable of taking charge of significant tactical command tasks. Under the Force Command Structure, Command Cadre members can also be appointed as Contingency Commanders responsible for commanding the response to potential ad hoc or serious incidents, allowing the original commander to focus on current duties.

To further strengthen the command and decision making capability of frontline commanders during major incidents and emergency scenarios, the Counter Terrorism and Major Incidents Bureau of the Operations Wing organised the Incident Command Course in May. A total of 26 participants attended the course, including police officers and representatives from emergency response and law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Macao, Singapore, and Indonesia, promoting cooperation and the exchange of professional experience.

Railway Policing

The Railway Division is responsible for formulating and reviewing railway policing, and assessing the impact of new railway projects on policing. In addition to rendering assistance and support to frontline officers in daily policing and large-scale public events, the Division coordinates major incident and CT exercises related to the railway system, and provides security advice on the railway system.

Making Scale Models

The Briefing Support Unit is an integral part of the Force’s CT response capabilities. It is responsible for making scale models to support operational planning, post-incident investigations and court proceedings. The Unit consists of 28 police officers who serve on a voluntary basis and have received formal training in the interpretation of plans and drawings, model-making and three-dimensional virtual modelling.

Executing Special Escort Duties

During the year, the Force Escort Group (FEG) recorded 4,106 man-days in 175 mobilisations to escort VIPs, including officials from the Chinese Mainland. The Group also helped the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison transport arms, ammunition and valuable property, and escorted prisoners requiring special security measures. During the year, the FEG also engaged in a number of major events, including the 15th NG torch relay and the road cycling (men’s individual) event, as well as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area joint emergency response and rescue exercise LIANCHENG-2025.

Rope Access

Under its motto ‘Attitude Drives Altitude’, the Force Rope Access Cadre provides round-the-clock support to frontline units engaged in policing tasks at unusual locations, and provides professional advice to frontline commanders on policing matters related to work at height. Cadre members receive regular professional training and participate in overseas exchanges to maintain professional rope access capabilities and the highest level of readiness.

Professional Negotiation

The Police Negotiation Cadre (PNC) consists of 106 police officers who stand by round-the-clock as a secondary duty. The PNC handles the negotiation work related to terrorist activities, hostage-taking incidents and attempted suicide cases, and assists in negotiation matters at major public events. All members share the common values of passion, nobility and commitment, aiming to save lives and resolve crises.

In view of the upward trend in student suicide cases, the PNC has strengthened the safety net through multi-disciplinary cooperation with stakeholders to offer proactive support to schools in handling crises. Since 2023, the PNC has held a number of seminars and workshops on crisis management and communication skills for over 8,000 education practitioners, social workers, professionals and parents. In addition, the PNC released the latest edition of the Practical Guideline for Crisis Management at Schools to provide primary and secondary school staff with the information and practical tools to address student suicides effectively.

TANGO Company

Comprising only female officers, the TANGO Company was initially formed in 1992 to facilitate the repatriation of women and children in Vietnamese refugee camps. The TANGO Company’s role has changed over time, and today it is deployed at major public events and in security operations to assist in security screening and crowd management, and to handle radical female protesters.

Police Licensing Office

The Police Licensing Office is responsible for issuing various types of licences and permits, processing the registration of societies, as well as reviewing and implementing licensing policies. In addition, the Office facilitates the work of other licensing authorities and coordinates the Force’s policy on public events.

The HKP e-Licence mobile application supports the authentication function of iAM Smart, provides online application, issuance and payment services for eight types of licences and permits, and issues electronic licences and permits to applicants. The mobile application also supports the Faster Payment System to facilitate the payment of relevant fees by applicants.

In addition, the Office continues to help frontline officers handle public events by providing policy-related advice to ensure that the events are conducted in a peaceful, safe, orderly and lawful manner.

Occupational Safety and Health

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Cadre trains Force members on risk assessment, risk management and OSH incident investigation to ensure the Force complied with the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. During the year, the Cadre provided qualification training for 184 Force members, and delivered basic OSH information to 1,255 new recruits at the Hong Kong Police College. The Cadre also arranged relevant refresher training for 634 Force members.

Animal Watchers Programme

To combat animal crimes, the Police implements the Animal Watchers Programme (AWP) proactively to pool the efforts of animal lovers at community level and raise public awareness of preventing cruelty to animals. The Programme launched diversified educational and promotional activities, including supporting schools in establishing Animal Care Corners, and co-hosting courses and visits with conservation groups and animal welfare organisations. In October, a two-day event ‘Paws & Promise: A Century of Care Carnival' was held to promote animal protection.

Since 2024, the Programme has collaborated with the Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of City University of Hong Kong to launch a mentorship programme, which recruited 30 veterinary medicine students to serve as AWP Student Mentors, to deliver basic animal care education to primary and secondary school students as well as kindergarten pupils.

Public Relations

The Public Relations Wing (PR Wing) adopts proactive and comprehensive public relations strategies, consistently exploring new channels to enhance communication with the media and the public. During the year, the PR Wing organised a number of anti-scam publicity events and worked with the media to produce television programmes and films, including the Force’s first mini-series Kwok Sir! Rookie Constables ‘Squad A' Have Fallen In premiered in August. The PR Wing also leverages the Force’s nine social media platforms to disseminate round-the-clock crime prevention and detection information in support of the Strategic Direction of policing with the community.

From 2013 to October 2025, the Force’s total followers across nine major social media platforms surpassed 7 million, successfully establishing a robust digital communication bridge and comprehensively showcasing the Force’s professional image of ‘Serving Hong Kong with Honour, Duty and Loyalty’.

The Force Media Liaison Cadre (FMLC) serves as a bridge between the Police and the media. During the year, the FMLC assisted in organising 374 press briefings and facilitated media reporting work for 249 frontline operations, aiming to enhance information delivery and transparency, as well as public trust in and support for the Force. The FMLC also operated on a 24-hour rotational basis to handle the bomb disposal and civilian evacuation operation in Quarry Bay in September, as well as the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po in November, ensuring the continuous delivery of the latest information to the media and the public.

In March, the PR Wing set up The Little Grape Garden at Harcourt Garden in Admiralty, featuring 26 sets of The Little Grape art installations of various designs and different sizes to remind the public to remain vigilant against scammers. In June, The Little Grape’s 5th Anti-Scam Birthday Party was held to raise public awareness of scam prevention through interactive games and fun challenges.

During the Christmas season, the PR Wing launched again the ‘The Little Grape Bling Bling@TST East 2025' campaign, and created several The Little Grape Christmas decorations. Among them was 5.5-metre-high LED ‘Transforming The Little Grape Crystal Ball' above the fountain at the Urban Council Centenary Garden, featuring 10 adorable expressions of The Little Grape and Christmas crystal ball animations to create a festive atmosphere while promoting anti-scam messages.

To prevent youth crime and provide coping strategies, the PR Wing published the fourth edition of the Youth Crime Prevention Booklet (2025 Edition) , with 42,000 copies printed and distributed to more than 1,100 primary and secondary schools, school sponsoring bodies and youth service organisations. The PR Wing also partnered with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups for the incorporation of professional counselling elements into the teaching materials, complemented by crime prevention videos, further supporting teachers in crime prevention work and strengthening young people’s law-abiding awareness.

Connecting with Community

In the 2024/25 academic year, the PR Wing co-organised three-day, two-night ‘V12+' training camps with the Education Bureau at the Junior Police Call (JPC) Permanent Activity Centre and Integrated Youth Training Camp (JPC@PH) for Secondary One students. The camp covered topics such as national security, civic responsibility and law-abiding awareness. Through activities including sharing sessions, experiential learning, Chinese-style foot drills and flag-raising, it aims to enhance students' sense of national identity, foster team spirit, cultivate law-abiding awareness and positive values, and encourage them to face challenges with a proactive attitude.

In February, renovation works for Block G of JPC@PH commenced, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2027. By then, Block G will serve as a technology training centre, featuring the E-sports Area, Virtual Policing Simulation Workshop and Indoor Shooting Range, integrating innovative technology to provide a more professional and cutting-edge police training environment for young people.

The Senior Police Call (SPC) all along upholds the motto ‘SPC Spirit–Helping Oneself and Others’. It disseminates crime prevention and road safety messages to the elderly and encourages them to participate in meaningful community activities. In June, the SPC underwent a comprehensive revamp, launching the new development framework ‘PALS@SPC' to integrate all its activities and training under four core pillars, namely ‘Participate’, ‘Alert’, ‘Learn' and ‘Safeguard’.

The SPC continues to collaborate with various organisations to organise activities, such as the SPC Annual General Meeting 2024 cum Luncheon, SPC Share the Love 2025 and SPC Health Campaign. It also conducts training programmes for SPC Captains, SPC Home Visit Captains, SPC Anti-Investment Scam Ambassadors and the newly introduced SPC IT Captains, aiming to provide members with knowledge of online pitfalls, the latest deception tactics, prudent financial management, national security and road safety. Upon completing the training, members will serve as trainers, providing assistance to Police Districts in organising activities and visiting singleton elderly households to spread police messages.

The Good Citizen Award (GCA) Presentation Ceremony 2024 was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 23 with the theme ‘Good Citizen - Good Stories - Everywhere’. The theme highlighted that stories of good citizens can be found all around us, just like clothing, food, housing and transport, which are integral to our daily life. It also aimed to encourage the public to assist the police in combating crime. The PR Wing continued to organise GCA roving exhibitions at various large shopping malls to promote the spirit of good citizenship.

Traffic Penalty Ticket Digitalisation

In order to promote smart policing and enhance public service efficiency, the Traffic Branch Headquarters launched the Traffic Fixed Penalty Notices Digitalisation in June, issuing penalty tickets for illegal parking and moving traffic offences via SMS or email, and launching the eTraffic Ticket Platform for vehicle owners and drivers to verify and manage their penalty tickets conveniently. As at the end of 2025, the platform’s website and mobile application had recorded over 1.7 million visits, while downloads of the mobile application exceeded 160,000. The Force will introduce more features to the platform in phases to continuously enhance user experience.

Road Safety

In 2025, the number of traffic accidents involving fatalities and serious injuries decreased significantly by 301 to 533 (down 36%) compared with 2024. However, the number of fatal traffic accidents increased by 10 to 93 (up 12%). The Force continues to practise the ‘3E' approach, namely Engineering, Engagement and Enforcement, and works with relevant stakeholders and government departments to enhance public awareness of road safety through publicity and education. The Force also actively explores the use of technology to enhance the efficiency of traffic policing so as to realise the road safety vision, ‘Zero Accidents on the Road, Hong Kong’s Goal’.

Frontline Auxiliary Support

The Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force is a well-trained manpower reserve and a source of support to the regular force in frontline duties. It maintains an establishment of 4,501 members. In the financial year 2024-25, 434 new recruits were taken on strength, the highest in recent years. To meet operational needs, an average of about 680 members were deployed per day.