In order to promote the Force Strategic Direction on "Strengthening Criminal Intelligence Gathering Force-wide" and to reinforce intelligence-led policing so as to execute the Commissioner's Operational Priorities, Kowloon West Regional Crime Headquarters organised an "Informer-handling Experience Sharing Workshop" on March 12 and 18 to boost frontline officers' informer-handling ability and techniques.

In fact, similar workshops were organised between 2004 and 2007 for frontline informer-handling officers and supervisory officers. As a result of the personnel transfer in the past year, some officers have not attended any of such workshops. Senior Superintendent Leung Ka-ming of Crime KW therefore decided to organise the workshop again. Superintendent Ma Chi-kin and Chief Inspector Tsang Yiu-wo then ran one for officers who may need to contact informers.

Apart from methods and relevant paper work, the workshop featured presentations by a group of ex-informer-handlers from Narcotics Bureau and Criminal Intelligence Bureau on the difficulties and possible traps encountered while handling informers. In particular, two female officers of Crime KW spoke at the workshop of their experiences in handling female informers. At the same time, Superintendent (Administration & Support) Lam Chun-ming of Crime KW talked about his own informer-handling experience.

The workshop also established two hotlines for enquiries on the procedures and documentation of informer-handling so as to reinforce the confidence of individual officers. However, the actual operational decision would remain with the initiating unit.

The workshop drew an overwhelming response from the 182 attendants from Emergency Unit Kowloon West, Police Tactical Unit, Traffic Kowloon West and other units.

The first workshop on March 12 was so successful that Kowloon West Regional Commander Tang How-kong attended the second one and thanked the participants for their attendance in their free time. He also acknowledged the efforts of the host unit for presenting a useful topic.

Kowloon West Regional Commander Tang How-kong turns up at the seminar to show his support for an important training session