Superintendent Lo Tat-fai, who was in charge of the FDAU pilot scheme launched in September last year, said: "At the beginning of the trial period, the FDAU only adjudicated complicated disciplinary cases from Hong Kong Island, Kowloon East and Marine Regions. The pilot scheme was extended to cover all major formations and units in March this year following an interim review."

"Police management decided to formally establish a centralised discipline adjudication unit after considering the experience gained from the pilot scheme and the supporting views expressed by Major Formation Commanders, Unit Commanders and representatives of staff associations," SP Lo said.

The FDAU will relieve formation superintendents of the burden of adjudicating time-consuming disciplinary cases and speed up the process of adjudication so that the pressure on officers facing disciplinary hearings can be reduced.

Established under the Personnel Management Branch of the Personnel Wing and housed in Tai Sang Commercial Building in Wan Chai, the FDAU will feature two specially designed hearing rooms each with a centralised recording system and two waiting rooms for prosecutors, witnesses and officers facing adjudication. Apart from the two adjudicators, all attendees at the disciplinary hearings will be in plainclothes.