TPDIST's 'Project Village Watch' gathers momentum
Tai Po District (TPDIST) rolled out "Project Village Watch of Tai Po District" in August last year to recruit villagers to act as Crime Prevention Ambassadors. After their appointment, the Ambassadors were updated on the crime trend and provided with crime prevention knowledge for dissemination to their fellow villagers.
The project not only has established a partnership in combatting rural crimes between the Force and the rural community, but also extended TPDIST's criminal intelligence gathering network in the more remote areas of Tai Po.
On November 16, the 6th Recruitment Seminar and the 2nd Refresher Workshop of Project Village Watch cum Outstanding Crime Prevention Village Awards Presentation Ceremony took place in Tai Po Police Station, with Acting Deputy District Commander Kerry Carew officiating.
At the seminar, officers from the Police Community Relations Office, District Intelligence Office and Regional Crime Prevention Office of New Territories North briefed 22 Crime Prevention Ambassadors from eight villages on details of the project, their duties, the crime trend in Tai Po and knowledge of preventing burglary and deception.
After the seminar, District Commander Paul Stripp officiated at a Crime Prevention Ambassador Appointment Ceremony, where Certificates of Appointment were presented to the Crime Prevention Ambassadors.
On the same day, the 2nd series of Refresher Workshop was held for 47 Crime Prevention Ambassadors appointed about six months ago. They received a briefing on the crime trend and shared experience in preventing crimes.
Following the Recruitment Seminar and Refresher Workshop was the Outstanding Crime Prevention Village Award Presentation Ceremony to pay recognition to the co-operation between villagers and TPDIST in preventing crimes since the launch of Project Village Watch.
Mr Stripp, together with Chairman of Tai Po District Fight Crime Committee, Mr Kwok Wing-keung, Chairman of North District Fight Crime Committee, Dr Yuen Pong-yiu, Chairman of Tai Po District Rural Committee, Mr Man Chen-fai, Chairman of Sheung Shui District Rural Committee, Mr Hau Chi-keung, and Public Relations Officer of Fung Ying Seen Koon, Mr Yip Mak, presented the Outstanding Crime Prevention Village of the Year Award to six villages, namely Ha Wong Yi Au Tsuen, Tai Po Tau Tsuen, Yuen Leng Tsuen, Mun Hau Tsuen, Fanling Wai and Po Sheung Tsuen.
In the past year, the awarded villages provided a lot of crime information on the hotlines of Tai Po and Sheung Shui Police Stations, enabling police to make prompt arrests. The villages have also adopted the crime prevention measures proposed by the project, including installation of CCTV system.
In the award presentation ceremony, Mr Stripp thanked the guests and various villages for contributing to the success of Project Village Watch.
At present, TPDIST has recruited 139 Crime Prevention Ambassadors from 44 villages to help disseminate crime prevention messages to villagers.
Tai
Po community leader, Mr Tang Pui-tat (third right), and Tai Po District
Councillor, Mr Tang Yau-fat (third left), praise members of the Tai Po
Rural Patrol Team for a job well done