The Force maintains a strong uniform police presence to meet community demand for police service and to deter crime. Officers on the street also provide a strong basis for community interaction.

The police strength to population ratio in end-2006 was 390 per 100,000 population (excluding the auxiliary). One of the key strategies on crime prevention is to maintain high visibility of uniform police and to conduct high profile intelligence-led operations.

The Force provides round-the-clock street level patrol by Uniform Branch officers and at the same time tackles identified problems through deployment of the task force, which is a uniform unit drawn from patrol sub-units and deployed in plainclothes. UB officers are reinforced by Emergency Unit (EU) and Police Tactical Unit (PTU). The EU and the PTU are an additional resource to enhance normal anti-crime patrol and conduct special operations, for instance undertaking anti-burglary operations. Police responses are immediate and investigations are undertaken with the best available resources.

Traffic officers are on the street to perform traffic enforcement and control. High profile operations against drink driving and road racing are conducted in different regions.

From time to time, based on intelligence, Regional PTU companies, EU, divisional taskforce duties, traffic duties, UB indoor administrative duties, regional/district/divisional crime and special duties squads will conduct pre-planned operations against vice, narcotics, triads and illegal gambling activities.

All these provide a strong visible police presence, consolidating and coordinating different levels of resources to prevent crime.

Further Reading (Available in the Force Library)

* HKPF (2006) "In Partnership to Combat Crime" in Hong Kong Police Review 2006, pp. 12-23.

"Policing in Hong Kong" Report Series 7 of 11