The event attracted Force-wide attention and was attended by an audience of over 300 persons, filling up the Auditorium. The Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner (Operations), Director of Operations, Deputy Commandant Auxiliary and nine Assistant Commissioners were in attendance to lend support to the Programme.

Assistant Commissioner (Support) Austin Kerrigan outlined the 11 Awareness Enhancement Programmes, which include seminars, road shows, publicity in OffBeat, display of posters, and a Training Day package, all launched last month to raise Force members' awareness of protecting personal data.

Mr Kerrigan explained: "As a police force, the public look to us to set the example. It is embarrassing if the Police Force breaks privacy laws. The objective of these programmes is to enhance Force members' awareness in protecting personal data and enhance their understanding and knowledge of the requirements of the PDPO."

A short preview of the Training Day package on Protection of Personal Data, which will be introduced Force-wide, was also shown during the event.

Mr Kerrigan concluded: "These Awareness Enhancement Programmes are just a start of our efforts to protect personal data and comply with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (PDPO). This is not a one-off exercise. Rather, this will form part of a long-term and sustained approach which will include regular reminders on the Force NoticeBoard; advice to officers on potential threats to the security of personal data, and enhancement of education in both foundation and continuation courses."

The Poster Design Competition is just one of the Awareness Enhancement Programmes. A total of 82 entries have been submitted by 195 regular and auxiliary officers, ranging from Constable to Chief Inspector, as well as civilian staff. Most of the participants were frontline officers who showed their support for protection of personal data with their artistic talents and excellent computer skills. All entries have a high quality and are creative and direct, conveying powerful messages of protecting personal data using a wide variety of themes.

An exhibition of the entries was held outside the Auditorium during the launching ceremony, attracting Mrs Smith to give this comment: "They are fabulous and fantastic! They are so artistic! I can't imagine they were done by police officers."

The results of the competition were announced during the launching ceremony and 12 awards - Gold, Silver and Bronze awards and nine Outstanding Awards - were presented. In addition to certificates, the Gold, Silver and Bronze Award winners were granted cash coupons of $1,500, $1,200 and $1,000, while Outstanding Award winners received coupons of $200. All cash coupons were subsidised by the Police Staff Motivation Scheme administered by Service Quality Wing.

The Gold Award went to a group of six freshly graduated Woman Auxiliary Police Constables. WPC (Aux) Constance Lau, who was the group leader, is a designer. She was thankful for the encouragement given by her Course Instructor Woman Sergeant Chak Pui-sze to participate in the competition.

"Though we are new in the Force, we think we should give our support to the Force to protect personal data. It doesn't really matter even if our entry will not win any prize," she said.

The final part of the launching ceremony was a seminar on Protecting Personal Data delivered by Mrs Smith, who retired from the Force in 2006 as Assistant Commissioner (Information Systems). She shared her knowledge regarding the legal framework and six data protection principles under the PDPO. She also covered a number of issues related to compliance with the PDPO. With the benefit of her previous police experience, Mrs Smith was able to explain the principles contained in the PDPO in terms that were easily understood by Force members.

During the seminar, Mrs Smith highlighted the Data Protection Principle 4, which governs the security of personal data, and advised officers on how to avoid data leakage, and to improve the policy on access control.

The seminar was well received and inspiring, particularly for the participants who were mostly managers on middle to top levels, holding posts directly related to protection of personal data.

Following the ceremony, a series of Enhancing Awareness Programmes was rolled out. A total of 3,000 copies of the winning posters were printed and distributed to all Police Formations for display. Two seminars were conducted by the Force IT Society at PSRC on November 15 on information security and data privacy both at home and in office. The speakers at the seminars were professional information security personnel from the Symantec Corporation. The Force IT Society also organised a road show at PSRC to display information regarding computer security.

The Office of Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau delivered a seminar on "Access to Information and Data Access Request" in the Auditorium on November 25. The seminar aimed at enhancing officers' understanding of the requirements of the PDPO and the Code on Access to Information relating to handling of requests for personal data and Force data.

Last but not least, a Training Day Package on Compliance of the PDPO has been produced and will be rolled out Force-wide, following winter precautions in February next year.

Mrs Smith giving a talk on protection of personal data