The FMAP Team remains a Force support unit for all formations and enquiries can be made to CIP MS. Funding is being sought to enhance formation map printing capability through procurement of additional equipment and coordinated use of the equipment shared amongst selected formations in HKI, NTS and KW.

With the advance of digital technology, the Force has faced an ever-increasing demand from frontline units for access to digital maps. According to SIP Kwok , digital map data has been widely used in maintaining the GAZETTEER addresses that support the core functions of major police information systems, including the Command and Control System 3, the Communal Information System (CIS) and Major Incident Investigation and Disaster Support System (MIIDSS).

Mr Kwok's team co-ordinates the collation and verification of new address information and map data from Lands Department and other sources to ensure the FMAP data is kept up-to-date. Currently some 200,000 map data records are maintained in 17 FMAP data layers. Data in each layer can be extracted and edited to meet frontline operational needs to show beats and key features. The maps displayed on Force terminals in offices or control rooms and in printed copies from A4 to large size briefing material may include a mix of data layers. The FMAP Team also offers a service to provide maps to formations in soft or hard copy in support of public order and crowd management operations and planning. The latest delivery of "Beat Maps On POINT" facilitates easy access to all divisional maps which can be downloaded from POINT, customised by a formation and printed. (A useful guide is included in this issue of the ForceByte feature column).

(From left) Sergeant Yan Kong-tung, SIP Kwok and Sergeant Wong Hing-cheong in the process of printing maps from giant printer