 TSRO KE Annie Fonda (seated) and staff display Organ Donation Cards |
THE Hong Kong Police Force is known for
its generosity and enthusiasm for worthwhile causes. This was fully demonstrated by
Women Police Constable Kwan Siu Ping of Energency Unit Kowloon West who died in a traffic
accident in January and her family realised her wish to donate her organs to needy patients.
"We were so moved by her benevolence that we brought a proposal to our Regional Commander John Yuen to disseminate the message of organ donation during our regular training days," said Training and Staff Relations Officer (Kowloon East) Annie Fonda. "He was all for it and told us to go ahead with the idea. In fact Mr Yuen had already signed an Organ Donation Card himself." |
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Leaflets containing Organ Donation Cards and relevant information are printed by the Department of Health. Those who sign up should keep them in their wallet and make their wish known to their families. The subject of organ donation was brought up with police officers attending recent training days organised by Kowloon East Headquarters. Copies of the leaflet were also distributed. "Much to our delight, officers responded favourably to the campaign with some obtaining extra copies for their family members," said Ms Fonda, who obtained an extra 3,000 copies of the leaflet for use during training days in other Kowloon East districts and formations. Despite the promising amount of officers signing the cards, Ms Fonda is quick to point out that the campaign was less about numbers and more about education. "We want our officers to sign the Organ Donation Cards out of their own convictions and will not ask if they have filled out a card or not. We don't intend to put any pressure on them. The decision to donate one's organs upon death is strictly voluntary and entirely a personal matter. The general consensus by officers on donating their organs was summed up by a training day participant Women Police Constable Butt Yuen-ling who conceded that objectively speaking upon death the cremation of healthy organs which could be used to keep others alive was a tragic waste of a resource. Women Police Constable Hui Wai agreed and added: "At first my parents felt disconcerted about my decision to sign the Organ Donation Card but I managed to talk them out of their reservations and to respect my wish when they realised that other lives could be saved.Ó The officers were also motivated by a recent incident in which a woman police constable suffering from pulmonary hypertension died after failing to have a timely lung transplant. They said that if more people joined the campaign, tragedies like this could be minimised. Said Ms Fonda: "By signing the Organ Donation Card people are doing something good for others but also for themselves. Commitment to organ donation benefits everyone because you never know if one day you yourself may be in need of an organ transplant." Kowloon East Headquarters was the first to promote the signing-up campaign. "We will continue to spread the message to other districts and formations in our Region," said Ms Fonda. "If the campaign gathers momentum we will consider raising the issue during meetings among Training and Staff Relation Officers with a view to promoting the campaign Force-wide." Those interested in knowing more about the Organ Donation Card call Annie Fonda at 2703-2425. | |
transparency to CAPO investigations | |
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EVERY Hong Kong citizen is entitled to
fair and impartial service from the police. The Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO)
is responsible to the Commissioner of Police for ensuring that all complaints of misconduct
or allegations of a crime made against a police officer or civilian member attached to the
Force are fully and impartially investigated.
There have been various measures to enhance the transparency and fairness of, as well as the public and staff confidence in the police complaints system. They include the installation of closed circuit television, video or tape-recording facilities in CAPO report rooms and interview rooms; a scheme for Indepedent Police Complaints Council members to interview witnesses; a scheme for Indepentent Police Complaints coucil members to observe CAPO investigations first hand; and enhanced publicity on the monitoring role of the Indepentent Police Complaints coucil. The existing Indepentent Police Complaints coucil Observers Scheme, which was introduced in April 1996 to observe complaints investigations conducted by CAPO officers, has been operating smoothly and effectively. To further enhance impartiality, transparency and accountability of the police complaints system and the monitoring functions of the IPCC, one of the recommendations following the Independent Review of the police complaints system conducted by the Review Officer/IPCC in 1996, is to expand the IPCC Observers Scheme to include Lay Observers. In July 1998 the office of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region approved to add in 50 Lay Observers. The Secretary for Security is in the process of identifying suitable candidates from various sectors of the community such as former IPCC members, District Board Chairpersons, District Fight Crime Committee Chairpersons or Deputies, current or former LegCo Security Panel members and community leaders as recommended by individual IPCC members. In this scheme, Conciliating Officers (COs) will notify the IPCC Secretariat once an intended interview or telephone contact with Complainants or Complainees in resolving a complaint has been fixed. To facilitate sufficient time for the attendance of the IPCC observers at least two clear working days notice should be given. The IPCC members or Lay Observers will conduct either a "Scheduled Observation" (pre-arranged), or "Surprise Observation" (walk-in). For a scheduled observation, the IPCC observers will inform the COs of their intended observation prior to the interviews. For a surprise observation, there will be no prior arrangement and in cases where they have been told an Informal Resolution (IR) will take place, the observers may visit the office of the COs when the IR is being conducted. The COs will seek the consent of the Complainants or Complainees to the presence of the IPCC observers and explain to them the role of the observers. During the observations, the IPCC observers will not interfere with the conduct of the interviews such as posing questions to interviewees or interviewers, initiating discussions, expressing personal views or displaying any other mode of behaviour which is deemed inappropriate. Where a dialogue with IPCC observers is initiated by the interviewees, the IPCC observers or the COs will explain to them the role of the IPCC. The IPCC Lay Observers will need to observe strict guidelines when conducting the observations. They should keep all information confidential except disclosing information to the IPCC and make a declaration should they have any potential conflict in any part of the observation they are about to conduct. The expanded scheme will soon be implemented Force-wide. The operating procedures will be reviewed in six months in relation to their effectiveness and, if confirmed, incorporated into police procedures manuals. Views of formation commanders were canvassed in June 1998 and their feedback evaluated and passed to the IPCC. It is expected that all Force members will give their full support and co-operation to the scheme as it promotes public confidence in the existing police complaints system and lives up to the Force values of "fairness, impartiality and compassion in all our dealings" | |
