[Vision, Our Common Purpose & Our Values] [Foreword] [Operations] [Regional Commanders' Report]
[Personnel and Training] [Management Services]
[Finance, Administration and Planning] [Environmental Report] [Organisation] [Annex, Crime Charts & Appendix]
Foreword
We continue to build a modern customer-orientated
police service for the community.
The past year proved to be a very positive one for the Force in pursuit of our vision that Hong Kong should remain one of the safest and most stable societies in the world. It was a year in which we continued to build upon the strong foundations established over the past decade in respect of providing a modern customer-orientated police service to the community.
During 2006 the economy in Hong Kong showed robust growth with a number of economic indicators reaching record high levels by the end of the year. Despite the positive outlook and general air of confidence within society, concerns continue to linger over the possibility of an infectious disease pandemic and another downturn in the economy due to the volatility of world markets. Underlying tensions also exist within certain sectors of the community over livelihood and environmental issues.
Against this setting our front-line officers were involved in a diverse range of activities focused on preventing and detecting crime, providing a fast and effective response to incidents and emergencies, enhancing communication with the community and policing numerous security, crowd management and public order events during the year. Many of these activities reflect the increasingly complex tasks our officers undertake on a daily basis to meet the aspirations of the community of Hong Kong with regard to the service they expect from the police, and our international commitments in response to the threat of cross-boundary crime and terrorism.
I am proud to report that our officers rose to the challenges placed upon them throughout the year, proving on countless occasions that they serve the community with pride and care. At the strategic level they are being supported by many initiatives aimed at strengthening our operational capability, further developing staff training, and enhancing our cooperation with Mainland authorities and other law enforcement agencies as part of our third Three Year Strategic Action Plan.
In regard to the crime situation, despite a slight increase in both overall and violent crime in 2006, our low crime rate of 1 160 crimes per 100 000 residents continues to compare most favourably with other metropolitan cities worldwide. I am particularly pleased to report at year's end a decline in the number of crimes that have a direct bearing on how our citizens and visitors view their own personal safety. These include cases of robbery and burglary, which have been on a downward trend for several years. Furthermore, the number of crimes involving the use of genuine firearms remained at a low level, with only five reports being recorded. Tragically, two Police officers were killed and another was seriously injured as a result of two separate shooting incidents. Such events, while rare, reflect the constant risk that our officers face as they undertake their daily patrol duties.
Apart from our core responsibilities of providing watch and ward coverage and preventing and detecting crime, we addressed a number of areas of community concern during the year, including domestic violence and the abuse of psychotropic drugs. These are complex social problems and we have developed comprehensive tactics and strategies to deal with the various issues. In the awareness that police action alone cannot solve these multi-faceted problems, our tactics and strategies frequently incorporate a multi-agency approach that involves the public, relevant government departments, NGOs and the private sector. Our approach to these problems forms an integral part of the Commissioner's Operational Priorities, which set out in simple terms key issues of concern to the whole community for our front-line commanders to focus on, while also providing flexibility to deal with local issues and emerging trends.
After reviewing our achievements, public expectations and prevailing crime trends during the past year, the Commissioner's Operational Priorities in 2007 will continue to cover seven key areas - violent crime, triads, quick cash crime, action against terrorism, trafficking and abuse of dangerous drugs, offences related to visitors and illegal immigrants, and road safety. A common theme in responding to these operational priorities is intelligence-led policing, and for this reason officers are encouraged to support the criminal intelligence system by developing quality information.
In 2006, we further developed our cooperation with the Mainland, Macao and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat syndicated and cross-boundary crime. The value of such collaboration and pursuing intelligence-led policing in the modern era cannot be overstated. This was aptly demonstrated during the 2006 World Cup soccer tournament when, through our joint efforts with overseas law enforcement agencies, two international bookmaking syndicates were neutralised in Australia and Macao, while in Hong Kong a large number of people were arrested for various bookmaking offences and betting slips with a considerable face value seized.
From the management perspective we continued to focus on improving working conditions for our staff, and instilling a sense of belonging, pride and job satisfaction among them. In 2006 our commitment to being a caring employer was formally recognised when the Force received various prestigious awards, including the 'Total Caring Award-Organisation 2006-07' administered by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, and the 'Safety Enhancement Gold Award' at the 5th Hong Kong Occupational Safety and Health Awards Ceremony.
Looking ahead, 2007 promises to be another busy year for the Force with a number of major events due to take place. Foremost among these are the celebrations associated with the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the test events for the 2008 Olympic Games Equestrian Events. The management of public meetings and public processions will continue to form a major part of our operational commitments, and an increase in activities of this nature can be expected with 2007 being an election year for the Chief Executive, District Councils and various representative bodies. At the strategic level, preliminary work for the preparation of our fourth Three Year Strategic Action Plan (2007-10) is now well underway and this, together with follow-up action in respect of the current plan, will be a focal point throughout the year.
The rule of law and a safe and secure environment in which to live and conduct business are widely accepted as key fundamentals underpinning both social and economic development. I would like to assure all sectors of society that the Force is well aware of the vital role it plays in this regard, and we will continue to pursue our vision that Hong Kong remains one of the safest and most stable societies in the world by serving the community with pride and care.
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