By mid-September the resulting detailed plan of action had been distributed region-wide. Most importantly it had been loaded onto the NTS homepage and an abridged version posted on notice boards throughout the region.

Kwai Tsing District Deputy Commander, Mr Gavin Brown, who chaired the working group, said that the finished product was the result of intense debate among members of an enthusiastic and imaginative working group, modified by considerable input and constructive suggestions from district commanders and regional headquarters.

Mr Brown described some of the more innovative ideas generated by the working group. "To help cultivate public support by ensuring that our successes and good works were well-known to local residents, we decided that it was important to publicise initiatives, cases and operations of interest at local level through local area newspapers and in meetings with local residents to explain proactive operations -especially where there was a public misperception that the Force was not taking any, or effective, action in areas of particular concern to them."

"Similarly," said Mr Brown, "we considered it essential that we seek out and engage groups who were not the traditional focus of Police public relations efforts so that we could explain areas of police work of specific interest to them.

"We envisage members of the Force describing their roles to members of minority groups and explaining the way in which they operate, process investigations and deal with complaints.

"We will also focus all our publicity drives more selectively. Professional drivers will be given advice on the Force's Strategic Traffic Enforcement Policy. Parents and teachers associations will be briefed on the Superintendent's Discretion Scheme and the management of Care and Protection Orders."

New Territories South Deputy Regional Commander, Mr Tang Kam-moon, announcing publication of the regional plans, emphasised that, "every officer must help to make these plans a success and do their bit to foster support from the various local communities that we serve".

"To encourage them to do so," said Mr Brown, "it has been agreed that any officer coming up with a workable idea to promote good relations will receive recognition from his district or regional commander."

Mr Gavin Brown and members of his public relations working group