Back to school: Education officers in class at the Detective Training School

A Central Compliance Team of specially-trained ED officers has been established to investigate schools breaching the Education Ordinance, particularly over-enrolled kindergartens.

Retired Sau Mau Ping Assistant District Commander (Administration) Cheung Yuk-fung has been employed as the team's deputy commander and adviser, taking up the post on a part-time basis from next month. He was selected in view of his vast experience in operations and crime investigations along with his background as a Detective Training School instructor.

The ED officers underwent a five-day course at DTS last month and an Operation and Investigation Manual was compiled for their reference. They studied interviewing techniques, statement taking and other investigative skills.

It is hoped the team will eventually allow the Department to not only conduct its own investigations but also carry out enforcement and prosecutions, freeing up Force manpower. The Police has been assisting the Department in enforcing the Ordinance as it lacks the power to lay summonses.

Support Wing Superintendent (Field) Felix Law Cheuk-hung said Police and the Department were seeking legislative amendments to allow ED to undertake its own prosecutions in the long term.

In the meantime, he said the ED team would gather evidence itself but would have to continue passing it to Police for prosecution.

"The Department has agreed to seek appropriate legislative amendments to enable them to conduct their own prosecutions in future, so Support Wing will continue to assist them in seeking this authority to initiate prosecutions on their own," SP Law said.

Last June, 15 schools were investigated and 185 summonses laid in a large-scale joint Police/ED operation against over-enrolled kindergartens.

SP Law said to sustain the enforcement effort, a Police/ED working group was set up to assist the Department in building expertise in the enforcement of the Ordinance. This has culminated in the establishment of the Central Compliance Team.

The co-operation with ED is part of the Force's continuous effort in devolving non-core responsibilities upon lead departments, hence freeing Police resources to focus on crime-fighting duties.



<< Back to Index >>