Marine Region organised the November 23 seminar to give officers a better understanding of radar equipment on police launches and any known side effects they may cause.

A recent newspaper report touched on the alleged relationship between the radars and the incidence rate of cancer among Marine officers.

Attendees were introduced to how ionising and non-ionising radiation affects the body, and were also told the acceptable levels of electro-magnetic waves or microwaves found in workplaces.

They were reassured at the seminar there was no evidence yet to support the allegation that non-ionising radiation would cause cancer.

Seminar speakers included Senior Occupational Health Officer of the Labour Department's Occupational Medicine Division, Dr Wan Yuen-kong, and Department of Health Medical Officer Dr Li Chun-kuen.

Attendees included management-level officers, plus representatives from the Junior Police Officers' Association and the Regional Welfare Office. Chief Superintendent (Administration and Support) Marine Au Hok-lam said: "As a responsible employer, the Force arranged the seminar to help answer officers' possible concerns. Some 82 officers were invited to attend and it is hoped they can help disseminate the information they received to their colleagues."

Similar scares on the radar had been expressed by Marine officers previously and, after inquiries with experts from the medical and engineering fields, such concerns were not proven.

Mr Au added inquiries were also made with the British Navy in Hong Kong in 1994 regarding the existence of radiation hazards from radar fitted to police launches. Again, the result failed to identify any existence of a health hazard.

However, an officer made a submission claiming cancer incidence among Marine officers was higher than the general population. "So in light of this submission, fresh inquiries would be made with the authorities concerned to ascertain whether the incidence rate among police officers in Marine Region is indeed higher and whether any recent studies have thrown light on the subject of radar radiation inducing cancer," Mr Au said.

"Assistance from the Office of the Telecommunications Authority was being sought to provide technicians to test the radiation level on different classes of the police fleet. Officers of every level in the Region have shown their concerns on this matter. We are right now busy getting on with all sorts of sources to research the code of practice and to establish both the mechanism for testing the existing radar equipment, and preventive measures in this area."

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