Introducing his concept of community policing, APTDIST Commander Siu Chak-yee pointed out that the "community" comprises everyone at the airport, from company management to toilet cleaners, shop staff, trolley handlers, other government officials, as well as the public using the airport.

"Security is no doubt the responsibility of the police. However, if the 60,000 staff members working at the airport can also serve as our 'eyes and ears' and immediately alert us whenever they come across any suspicious person, object or activity, it would be a great help for preventing and detecting crimes," he noted.

Recently, APTDIST took part in the Airport Authority's "Airport Security Awareness Campaign" when SSP Siu outlined the following new initiatives on community policing to 143 representatives from various airport companies:

* "Security Communication Network" for enhancing the communication between the police and the community;

* "Task Force Hotline" for strengthening the co-operation and mutual trust between the police and the community, and for encouraging them to quickly report suspicious object, person or activity to the police, and

* Regular "Security Workshops" for frontline airport staff on how to assist the police in preventing crime and terrorist activities.

SSP Siu explained that the Security Communication Network is simply using emails for establishing two-way communication with his airport partners, and that any information that the police wish to disseminate to the airport community "can be done by just clicking a button". Airport partners can do likewise if they have any information for the police or any enquiries.

The Task Force Hotline aims to provide frontline airport staff with an additional channel to make reports to the police. Copies of a sticker containing the hotline number have been produced for display at conspicuous locations, such as staff rooms or cashier counters, to make sure the number is visible to staff at all times.

Since early November last year, APTDIST has been organising regular security workshops for frontline airport staff, for example toilet cleaners, trolley handlers and ramp operators, to raise their awareness of crime and terrorism prevention, and each workshop was conducted by the junior officers of the Airport Security Unit. So far, around 600 frontline airport staff members have attended the workshops and their response has been positive.

Frontline airport staff attending a police workshop