CAPO has pledged to keep its Performance Pledge under constant review, and to raise performance standards where necessary. As a matter of fact, CAPO has been working hard in this direction since it introduced its Performance Pledge in 1998, according to CAPO Superintendent Siu Kit-hung.

"Although the Performance Pledge is a good benchmark for the services we provide, we constantly monitor the needs of society, and review our different pledges at an interval of two years in a bid to provide the best service. In fact, many of the pledges measure up to the standards we've set for ourselves," said SP Siu.

SP Siu sees the Merit Award as recognition of the efforts made by all CAPO staff, including members of investigation teams and officers who conscientiously carry out the various pledges. "The Merit Award is a big motivation for the staff and I hope they would continue to do their best to enhance the standards of our services to meet the expectations of the public," he noted.

Following developments over the years, CAPO now assures a complainant of the following performance standards:

* CAPO will attempt to establish a personal contact with the complainant within two working days of the complaint being known to the Office and the related complaint investigation procedures will be explained as far as possible;

* An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the complainant's given address within one working day of the complaint being received by CAPO;

* Where a full investigation cannot be completed within a two-month period, the complainant will be given a letter informing him or her that the investigation is still continuing and the reason why. Thereafter a progress letter will be sent every two months until completion of the investigation;

* If a complaint case is treated as Sub-Judice, CAPO will send a letter to the complainant within three working days, informing that CAPO investigation has been suspended until conclusion of judicial proceedings;

* CAPO will aim to complete all complaint investigations within four months, except Sub-Judice cases;

* A completion letter will be sent to the complainant within three working days prior to the case file being sent to the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC), and

* For complaints that require a full investigation, a final letter informing the complainant of the result of the investigation will be sent within 10 working days of endorsement being received by CAPO from the IPCC.

OffBeat will feature in the next issue the submission by the New Territories North Quick Reaction Force, which has also won a Civil Service Outstanding Service award.

SP Siu congratulates his staff for making a good presentation on CAPO's Performance Pledge to an adjudication panel