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 CP Hui Ki-on at the opening ceremony of the new Chek Lap Kok Police Station | WITH the new
Hong Kong international airport due to open in July, the new Chek Lap Kok Police
Station was officially opened last week by the Commissioner of Police Hui Ki-on.
Officiating at the opening ceremony, CP said the role of the Hong Kong Police was vital in both preventing and detecting crime, and maintaining public order. "In order to fulfill these demanding roles, police officers working at Chek Lap Kok District will perform their duties competently and professionally," he said. Being Hong Kong's latest and most modern police station, it is equipped to a very high standard with the most sophisticated equipment available. |
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"Incorporated within the station is probably the world's most advanced Police Incident Command Centre, which will be used in the event of a major incident at the airport," said the commissioner ,adding he sincerely hoped that the facility is never used in earnest. "Uniformed officers will conduct patrols of the passenger terminal building and surrounding areas, including the whole of the airport island, while crime officers will investigate criminal offences," said Mr Hui. "The Airport Security Unit, which has been considerably expanded compared to the unit at Kai Tak, will also be based here." There will also be specially trained dogs from the Police Dog Unit to detect explosives. "From a policing perspective, the security needs of this airport are well provided for," he said, then thanked all parties concerned in the process of the new police station from design to operational readiness, saying that its design and construction were a team effort requiring input from government, the private sector and the police force itself. "This police station will ensure that the Force is able to effectively police Hong Kong's new international airport." | |
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| MAINTAINING law
and order and reducing crime has always been the Force's priority. With a view to
continuing an already low crime rate and working towards a "crime free" neighbourhood
in Stanley, police there - in addition to their regular security patrols - have introduced
a watchman/caretaker phone-in scheme.
Stanley Sub-Divisional Commander Leung Yan-kit pointed out that Stanley was a low-density residential area where luxury apartments and low-rise houses are easy targets for burglars and that the scheme, which was launched last December, has been helpful in bringing down the number of burglaries. |  Residential security personnel in Stanley getting the lowdown on the watchman/caretaker phone-in scheme - which has been effective in lowering burglaries in the area |
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"The co-operation of management companies, owner's incorporations, landlords and tenants of participating residential buildings has been essential to the success of the scheme as they are in a position to maintain their watchmen/caretakers' compliance with the conditions of the scheme," SDVC Leung said. Under the scheme, participating residential security personnel phone in status reports to the Stanley Police Station at designated times every night. If they don't police are sent to check out the situation. Police also mount irregular patrols to ensure watchmen and caretakers are discharging their duties and not absent from their posts or sleeping on the job. They have so far issued more than ten warning letters to watchmen/caretakers who have failed to discharge their duty. Before launching the scheme police conducted briefing sessions to explain details of the programme to management, personnel and tenants of 40 residential blocks so far participating in the scheme. An evaluation session to review the success and effectiveness of the programme was held earlier this month where response from landlords, tenants, management companies and estate developers was encouraging. "The success of the scheme is attributed in large part to their wholehearted support and co-operation," said SDVC Leung. | |
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THE March 9 move of the Police Licensing
Office from its cramped accommodation in the Annex of Caine House to Wanchai Central
Building on Lockhart Road heralded a new era for both the Licensing Office and the Force,
said Pang Moon-kwan, SP Licensing. "The move will improve the working environment
of the office and increase the standard of service that we offer the public. It also marks
the beginning of the decapitation of PHQ necessary to make room for the redevelopment
of Headquarters."
The Licensing Office's old accommodation occupied former married quarters attached to Caine House. While these had an old world charm, including bath rooms with full-size bathtubs on each floor, they were not adequate to handle over 200,000 members of the public who seek the help of the office every year. The new accommodation includes proper public waiting areas and allows each of the office's sections to operate on a separate floor so that the public gets a "one stop" service. The new office was formally opened by Mike Dowie, ACP Support, after a hectic weekend of moving. The logistics of the move were complicated because the office maintained continuous service to the public and SP Pang thanked all who helped to make this possible, especially the PHQ Development Team in P&D, Police Stores and Information Services Wing. SSP PHQ Development, Barbara Willison, noted that the Licensing Office move was the first of no less than 23 decantings and relocations that will be necessary to make space for the PHQ redevelopment. She and her team still have a great amount of work ahead of them but Ms Willison remains philosophical. "We have made a good start with moving Licensing Office although we still have a long way to go," she said. "But the longest journey begins with a single step." | |
