An Integrated Policing Approach through
Close Relationships and Partnerships

RAILDIST maintains a very close working partnership with surface Districts and external stakeholders when managing crowd management operations and responding to major incidents. For example, during the festive season, both sides of Victoria Harbour attract huge numbers of people for the celebrations and the principal mode of transport which these people will use will be the Mass Transit Railway (MTR). This puts a significant strain on the network and requires a coordinated multi-agency approach not just amongst the affected Police formations but also from external partners such as the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) to ensure that every single person can enjoy festivities in an orderly manner and equally important that they can get home safely.

This co-operation and close partnership with internal and external stakeholders also extends to major incidents such as train accidents or serious delays. During these incidents, RAILDIST will co-operate with affected surface Districts and other external stakeholders to ensure that members of the public are safely evacuated if necessary and an effective response to the incident is put in place to ensure that services are resumed safely and with the least possible disruption caused.

In order to enhance the understanding and co-operation between RAILDIST and their surface counterparts on the response to railway incidents and other policing operations, the District has formed a Railway Policing Promotion Team whose charter is to give presentations on the various response protocols and procedures, more of which will be discussed in the next edition of OffBeat.

Maintaining Law and Order

Recent media reports have also highlighted illegal acts committed by General Merchandising Operators at Lo Wu and Sheung Shui railway stations who not only breach MTRC By-Laws by evading fares, but have also assaulted MTRC staff. RAILDIST has worked closely with Tai Po District, Border District and the MTRC to set up a Working Group to tackle this problem. In doing so the Police are stepping up enforcement action, and the MTRC has also taken up the recommendations by the Working Group to strengthen the facilities in the stations and to employ more staff.

Another example of coordination and co-operation was that recently there were a number of graffiti cases taking place within railway system. Through close co-operation between crime KE, RAILDIST and the MTRC, a suspect was targetted and subsequently arrested.

In order to effectively crack down on criminal activity within the railway system, RAILDIST also launched an initiative called "Project Eyes and Ears" in 2008. Through this initiative, officers of RAILDIST are encouraged to visit MTRC staff and shop staff at railway stations so as to increase their understanding of the Police and to strengthen relations. Another major purpose of the visit is to gather intelligence targetting criminal activities. From a total of 103 initiatives submitted for consideration to the Advisory Group on Engaging the Community, Project Eyes and Ears was picked out as one of the 15 initiatives designated as best practices.

These joint efforts on the part of all stakeholders are very good examples of adopting a multi-agency approach to enhance safety and security within the railway system.

Counter-Terrorism and Emergency Management

One of the major challenges that RAILDIST officers face is in the field of counter terrorism. History has shown that railway and transportation systems can be attractive targets for terrorist attacks, examples of such include Tokyo in 1995, Madrid in 2004, London in 2005 and Mumbai in 2006 and Hong Kong must be fully prepared to counter any threats. In order to more effectively deploy resources to protect the railway system, RAILDIST has conducted risk assessments on all railway stations according to their design, the passenger flow and landmarks nearby.

The District also works closely with the MTRC and other Government stakeholders in the design of new lines and stations to ensure that adequate security and safety measures are incorporated into the designs during the planning stages.

A major element of the District preparedness strategy is exercises and training. Each year, RAILDIST, in conjunction with other stakeholders including the Fire Services Department, MTRC and surface Districts, conducts a number of exercises that simulate major incidents and terrorist attacks. Through repeated exercises and training, we ensure that our officers can effectively and efficiently respond to incidents, as well as practising and enhancing related procedures, communications and emergency management amongst departments. The participation of surface formations also strengthens their understanding of the unique environment, facilities and operation of the railway system.

The next issue of OffBeat marks the final in the series of articles on Railway Policing. The focus of the article will be on how the District is reaching out to raise awareness of railway policing and at the same time how it is looking inward to ensure that it is making the best use of its most valuable resource, namely its own staff, and providing career development opportunities for them. Amongst the issues that will be discussed are raising the awareness of railway policing within the Force, engaging the community in the interest of promoting safety awareness and crime prevention, provision of career and skills development for its Junior Police Officers and recruitment of officers into the District to offer them an opportunity of working in such a unique, challenging and rewarding environment.

Briefing on policing of the railway system