Border District Commander Michael Demaid-Groves and the Director of the Political and Secretariat Division, Criminal Investigation Department, Shenzhen PSB, Mr Xie Jiannan, signed the addendum documents at the eighth meeting of the co-operation scheme.

At the meeting, the Director of the Yantian Public Security Division of the Shenzhen PSB, Mr Lin Dianxiong, thanked the Force for assisting in two serious cases that occurred in Yantian late last year when a People's Armed Police officer and two police officers of the Shenzhen PSB made the ultimate sacrifice in fighting crime. As a result of exchange of intelligence, the criminals involved have been brought to justice, highlighting another success of the police co-operation scheme.

In the field of publicity, representatives of the TV and Films Liaison Section of the Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) attend meetings of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Land Boundary Police Co-operation Scheme on a regular basis. The representatives also work closely with their counterparts in the Shenzhen PSB to publicise on television the functions and operations of the co-operation scheme to residents on both sides of the boundary. The television programme has also introduced the procedures of making reports to the police and offered tips on crime prevention.

With a view to familiarising Force members with the police co-operation scheme, the Border District and the Liaison Bureau have reviewed and amended the "Procedures for Recording External Crime" under FPM 21-08 to provide more well-defined guidelines for handling of reports of external crimes, made by Hong Kong residents.

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Land Boundary Police Co-operation Scheme has been so successful in cracking crimes at the boundary crossings that the Zhuhai PSB and the Macao Judiciary Police are considering establishing a similar mechanism. Their officers have visited the Shenzhen PSB and Border District to study how the co-operation scheme works. Officers from the Zhuhai PSB have even attended the eighth meeting of the co-operation scheme to make further observations.

It is expected that Zhuhai and Macao will start operating a similar co-operation scheme in the near future.

"Integration with the Mainland" is one of the items of the four major areas for development under the three-year Force Strategic Action Plan for 2005-2008. With the opening in stages of more boundary crossings in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, such as the "Sheung Shui Spur Line/Futian Boundary Crossing" and "Shenzhen Bay Boundary Crossing", Border District will continue working closely with the Liaison Bureau, PPRB and Shenzhen PSB to provide more quality services to both Hong Kong and Mainland residents.

Delegates to the 8th meeting of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Land Boundary Police Co-operation Scheme