Engaging the Community portal open on POINT
In support of Strategic Direction 1 - the Engaging the Community portal is now open on POINT, with details of best practices in use across the Force.
Engaging with our community is at the heart of the Force's community-orientated policing strategy, as it is recognised that effective engagement with all sectors of the community will become increasingly important and the Force's efforts in this area need to be reinforced. That said, it is fully recognised that there are many excellent community-policing initiatives underway as demonstrated by the successful conclusion of Strategic Direction Project 1-1.
Director of Management Services Mike Dowie commented that Project 1-1 allowed formations to subject initiatives for consideration as best practice and for sharing with the Force.
With a total of 103 initiatives submitted for consideration to the Advisory Group on Engaging the Community, it is evident that a good deal of commendable work is being undertaken by formations. After careful evaluation, the Advisory Group has designated 15 initiatives as best practice. These are cited for their sustainability, good use of limited resources and perceived value. Details have been uploaded to POINT and the Knowledge Management database.
Senior Superintendent Steve Wordsworth, a member of the Advisory Group from Service Quality Wing, observed: "It has been a real eye-opener working on this project. What I find striking is the number and the breadth of initiatives underway, coupled with the strong desire to work in partnership with local communities and stakeholders to address a wide range of issues. Examples include Railway District reaching out to shopkeepers in stations to seek their assistance and the good use of the Internet by the Regional Crime Prevention Office of New Territories North to network with property managers to spread timely anti-crime advice."
The Advisory Group is keen to stress that by highlighting certain initiatives it is in no way intended to distract from other meaningful approaches being adopted.
Mr Dowie remarked: "Making the best practices available on POINT provides commanders with a useful starting point for developing their own initiatives. I would encourage officers to visit the Engaging the Community portal and use it as a resource when formulating their options."
The Advisory Group welcomes new initiatives for sharing through the portal.
Engaging the Community - 15 Best Practices
| Project Title | Nature | Responsible Formation | |
| 1 | Officers attending District Consultative Meetings | Arranging selected frontline officers to attend district consultative meetings as observers to strengthen liaison with district and community groups. | CDIST |
| 2 | Wan Chai District School Communication Network | Using the Internet to enhance communication with schools and youth groups in the district. | WCHDIST |
| 3 | Meeting with Interested Parties of Problematic Liquor Licensed Premises | Holding regular meetings with stakeholders of problematic entertainment venues to publicise anti-crime messages. | WCHDIV |
| 4 | Prevention of Deliberate Self-harm | Adopting a multi-agency approach to enhance public awareness of the prevention of deliberate self-harm. | CWDIV |
| 5 | Anti-Illegal Gambling Strategy | Setting up a hotline to help members of the public report gambling-related crime information. | EDIST |
| 6 | KW Youth Care Committee | The Committee, consisting of community philanthropists and representatives of various NGOs and government departments, aimed at promoting youth activities, providing youth services and publicising anti-juvenile crime messages. | RCPO KW |
| 7 | Enhancing Middle Management's Understanding of District Administration and Community Policing | Arranging selected middle managers to attend district consultative meetings to strengthen engagement with district and community groups. | YTDIST |
| 8 | Mobile Community Policing Unit | Deploying a marked police vehicle to designated locations to spread crime prevention messages. | MKDIST |
| 9 | Anti-Vehicle Crime Project - Partnership with LINK Reit | Offering security advice and information on missing vehicles to carparks managed by LINK Reit with a view to reducing vehicle crimes. | RCPO KE |
| 10 | Anti-Kwun Tong Factory Burglary Liaison Team | Enhancing liaison and working closely with factory management offices to combat burglary in factory area. | KTDIV |
| 11 | "One Flat One Alarm" | Offering security advice to village houses with a view to improving their security measures. | KTDIST & TKODIV |
| 12 | Project "Eyes and Ears" | Stepping up engagement with all stakeholders in the railway community, including MTR shops, to gather intelligence and combat crimes. | RAILDIST |
| 13 | Project "Leading Light" | Organising seminars in schools to raise youth awareness of the subject of missing juveniles. | RMPU NTS |
| 14 | Operation COMPAX | Strengthening liaison with housing estate residents and property offices by setting up "Police Clinics" in housing estates and conducting surveys to gauge residents' opinions on policing issues. | KWCDIV |
| 15 | Property Management Company Crime Prevention Network | Using the Internet to network with property managers to spread timely anti-crime advice. | RCPO NTN |
Operation Compax - Kwai Chung Division officers engaging with the public through an "on street outreach clinic"