Off Beat

Share the Fun concert aims at saving lives on the road

RC TNT Ng Wai-Kit getting the road safely messages out at the Share the Fun concert; while (below) children dressed as road signs reinforce it in a memorable way

TRAFFIC NTN's Share the Fun Road Safety concert at the North District Playground in Sheung Shui on Sunday 8 November was a huge success both as a fun event and in terms of getting Traffic's important road safety messages across to over 4,000 in attendance, as well as through a carefully planned road safety radio promotion in the days leading up to the concert.
Metro Radio advertised the Concert ten days before it was held through a series of road safety promos on different radio programmes especially targeting people who drive for a living.
With further assistance from Metro Radio (which broadcast the live concert a week later) and Capital Artists Limited, singers made available to perform at the concert included Chan Hiu-tong, Yeung Chin-wah and So Wing hong who helped reinforce the road safety message by appealing to those attending the show to be more street wise via a variety of easy to remember road safely slogans provided by Traffic NTN.
One of the highlights of the day was a pre-concert fashion show featuring a group of kindergarten pupils modelling road signs, the most popular being those dressed light traffic lights.

Officiating guest at the concert included NTN's Regional Commander Ng Wai-Kit ,the Honorable Lau Wong-fat, GBS, JP (Chairman of the Provisional Regional Council), Assistant Commissioner for Transport/NT Dr Ernest Lee, JP, the Chair-man of the Traffic & Transport Committee, Road Safety Patrol, the Chairman of the Provisional District Board, and District Officers from North District, Tai Po, Tuen Mun and Yuen Long.
Through education, law enforcement and road safety concerts such as this, Traffic NTN hopes to prevent road accidents and casualties, especially those that occur on the region's busy expressways Ёа a hotbed of accidents due to tailgating, speeding, carelesslane changing and lack of patience.
Since Traffic TNT implemented anti-tailgating operations in December 1997,expressway accidents in the district have been reduced by 16.5 per cent, dropping from 442 to 369. Road safety education is a long-term strategy of Traffic, NTN.

Taking the anti-crime/drug abuse message to the housing estates

DUE to the success of its past publicity campaigns, Western District once again organised an anti-drug/anti-crime campaign with Southern District Fight Crime Committee at four public housing estates in Aberdeen (Wah Kwai, Wah Fu, Lei Tung and Wong Chuk Hang estates) in a bid a alert residents of Southern District of the problem of drug abuse and crimes committed by youngsters.
The opening ceremony on 14 November was officiated by DC Western Barry Griffin. Guests included Chairman of the Southern Fight Crime Committee Ko Tam-kan, Chairowman of Southern District Board Ma Yuet-ha, and Assistant District Officer, Southern District Office, Au Wai-sum.
The publicity drive began with guests and Junior Police Call members distributing anti-crime and anti-drug leaflets along with magnetic stickers to youngsters and parents in the district. Parents were also reminded to spend more time with their off spring in a bid to better understand the motivation behind their children's behaviour.

Detail from Western District's anti-crime/anti-drug leaflet

Traffic NTN anti-tailgating seminars

AT the request of the Department of Justice. Traffic, New Territories North, has introduced police anti-tailgating seminars for serving court prosectors which will become part of their on-the-job training and help familiarise them with police anti-tailgating operations which now employ high-tech laser guns that are able to accurately detect the distance between two moving vehicles Ёа thus making the evidence gathered during the anti-tailgating operations more effective, reliable and indisputable in a court of law.
SSP Allan Wong Sak-pang, Traffic, NTN: "Last year, 20 per cent of the serious traffic accidents occurring in NTN were caused by tailgating .In the past, offenders were detected merely by means of traditional mobile patrol Ёа which proved to be rather ineffective in the courts."
In September 1997,Traffic NTN sought the legal advice of the Department of Justice and got its approval and support concerning the reliability and effectiveness of its tailgating operations employing the new technology and methods against offenders.
"Since then, more than 700 drivers have been successfully prosecuted following our anti-tailgating operations, "said SSP Wong. "The number of traffic accidents involving injuries caused by tailgating has dropped by 15 per cent, while traffic accidents on expressways have also dropped substantially."

New JPOA insurance scheme
tailor-made for its members

FOLLOWING a ling period of consultation and preparation, the Junior Police Officers' Association (JPOA) has this month (December) introduced an insurance scheme for its members that is the result of a joint effort between the JPOA legal advisor and the insurance company involved.
The first of its kind for Force members, the insurance scheme is tailor-made for constables, senior police constables, sergeants and station sergeants and only members of the JPOA are eligible to apply.
Of prime importance, this voluntary scheme provides financial protection in three areas.
First of all, officers in the event of a lawsuit brought against them while carrying out their duties are eligible for legal assistance .An insured member who is subject to a lawsuit and whose application for Government legal aid or legal assistance under Civil Service Regulation 477 is turned down, will now be entitled to the benefit of defence costs and expenses offered by the scheme.
Secondly, the insurance package offers its members protection against loss of income from unemployment due to dismissal or compulsory retirement resulting from a mistake, error or conviction of disciplinary offence committed in the course of discharging his or her constabulary duty.
Finally, the scheme offers saving and life insurance. An insured officer is entitled to receive a cash subsidy for hospitalisation of over 12 hours resulting from injuries sustained during or after duty.
The insurance scheme was devised in accordance with data collected in a survey conducted by the JPOA. The survey found that over 90 per cent of junior police officers who were interviewed in the survey supported the introduction of an insurance package that incorporates the elements of protection from loss of income, life insurance and assistance in legal defence expenses. Respondents of the survey also made it clear that they were willing to pay about four per cent of their monthly income towards the policy premium.
The JPOA will carry out a series of promotional activities introducing the insurance package at which time there will be consultants to explain terms and conditions of the package to JPOA members.
For complete terms and conditions of the insurance scheme, members should refer to the actual insurance policy. There are also other life insurance schemes available in the market and offered by Personnel Services Branch. Force members should consider different Schemes and their own needs before selecting a particular scheme.
For more information on this new scheme, call the JPOA:2711-5183.