The Regions devote themselves to upholding the rule of law, maintaining law and order, and serving Hong Kong with honour, duty and loyalty. They fight crime in ways that often involve engagement with different sectors of the community or multi-agency partnerships. Publicity and educational activities are held to enhance public awareness of crime prevention and road safety. In 2023, the Regions supported the Government in addressing the effects of extreme weather.

Hong Kong Island Region

As Hong Kong society resumed normalcy after the pandemic, the overall crime rate rebounded. Officers of Hong Kong Island Region all worked with one heart and one mind to uphold law and order. Through Project SAFE, close partnership was established with strategic partners to strengthen intelligence exchange in combating traditional crimes. In response to the rising trend of fraud and technology crimes, the Region introduced Operation SHIELD, focusing on intelligence gathering, analysis and cyber patrols in a multi-pronged approach to take enforcement actions and raise public awareness of scams through publicity and education.

Hong Kong Island Region launched Project SAFE to encourage installation of CCTV cameras on commercial premises to enhance overall law and order.

Amid the economic recovery, major events such as the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Tai Hang fire dragon dance and National Day fireworks display returned. The Region's Police Districts liaised closely with the organisers and stakeholders on risk assessment, event planning and execution to ensure all activities were conducted in a safe and orderly manner while helping Hong Kong to demonstrate its extraordinary vibrancy once again to international visitors.

The return of the Tai Hang fire dragon dance called for Police to monitor the crowds and ensure public safety.

Regular training and interagency exercises were organised to test and refine contingency plans so as to enhance the capability of frontline units in responding to major incidents. When extreme weather conditions occurred, well-trained officers remained steadfast in their posts, working diligently to safeguard the lives and property of the public.

Officers helped wherever they could after Super Typhoon Saola, which disrupted road traffic severely.

To show care and concern for the community, the Region proactively reached out through platforms such as the Junior Police Call, Senior Police Call, Road Safety Patrol, Animal Watch Scheme and social media, to earn the trust and support of the people for the Force. Hong Kong will prosper only when its young people thrive. The Region is committed to organising diversified activities to cultivate positive values and a national identity in the young, enhance their awareness of abiding by the law and better equip the city's future leaders with a sense of responsibility, vision and love for the country and Hong Kong.

Eastern District officers and JPC members visited the elderly to promote anti-deception messages.

Marine Region

The Marine Police maintain the integrity of the HKSAR's 191 kilometre sea boundary and guard the 1,641 square kilometres of water and 261 islands under their purview.

Proactive enforcement during the year saw the arrest of 430% more illegal immigrants at sea alongside a 20% reduction in the seizure of smuggled goods. This increase was primarily due to the influx of non-ethnic Chinese illegal immigrants, which was closely related to the Mainland's post-COVID reopening. To safeguard national security and maintain law enforcement at sea, the Region continues to procure technologically advanced vessels and embrace technological advancement while working closely with maritime partners.

Marine Region operates a fleet of modern craft to enforce the law in Hong Kong waters.

Engaging the community is a key focus of marine policing. The Marine Society for schoolchildren, the Sea Safety Ambassador Scheme and the Marine Guru Programme impart sea safety knowledge and professional seamanship, at the same time helping youngsters develop a sense of national identity. Face-to-face engagement, including interactive visits to police bases and frequent sea safety days, took place throughout the year with overwhelming community support. The newly introduced social media platform Xiaohongshu expanded the Region's reach on the Internet.

The Region created an anti-deception float together with Cheung Chau locals for the Bun Festival.

Jet skis known as personal water craft began trial runs in August in Marine East Division to strengthen rescue capabilities and engage with recreational water sports enthusiasts.

The Region will continue to embrace challenges arising from maritime public events and carry out crime prevention initiatives through enhanced joint efforts with the community and commercial partners.

Kowloon East Region

In 2023, Kowloon East Region recorded a 26.6% increase in overall crimes. Amid decreases in robbery, wounding, serious assault, criminal damage and drug-related crimes, the number of deception cases rose significantly.

To cope with the surge in deception cases, dedicated Technology and Financial Crime Units were set up in Kowloon East Region and its Police Districts to work with the Regional Intelligence Unit to tackle technology crime and deception, identify suspects, intercept payments to fraudsters and launch operations against crime syndicates expeditiously. To raise awareness of deception, the Region also disseminated scam prevention messages to non-local students and the public by holding anti-scam publicity campaigns with stakeholders from different sectors.

Project CARCAMS was launched to encourage the use of dash cams to enhance public order and the efficiency of crime investigation. In addition, the Region initiated Project STORESHIELD, uniting the efforts of the Police and other parties to combat shop theft by improving retailers' security systems and publicising police alerts.

Project PINPOINT won the Age-Friendly Collaborator Award in the Jockey Club Age-Friendly City Partnership Scheme Competition for its efficient use of positioning aids to find missing individuals swiftly.

Project PINPOINT promoted the efficient use of positioning devices to swiftly locate missing individuals suffering from dementia or mental incapacitation. This exemplary initiative, which used a multi-agency approach combined with digital policing, garnered the Age-Friendly Collaborator Award in the Jockey Club Age-Friendly City Partnership Scheme Competition. Project HILL PAL was jointly initiated with various government departments, mountaineering organisations and schools to advance the use of technology, such as hiking mobile applications and the flexible search capabilities of drones, to enhance hikers' safety and strengthen the Police's search-and-rescue capabilities. The Region also conducted regular exercises with MTR Corporation and stakeholders to maintain co-ordination and response capabilities among different units in handling major incidents.

A joint Project HILL PAL Orienteering Award Presentation cum Student Ambassador Appointment Ceremony was held to raise awareness of mountaineering safety. Rescue equipment was displayed so the public could understand the tools used by emergency units.

Promoting road safety has been a key commitment within the Region. Officers not only focused on combating serious traffic offences, such as driving while disqualified, illegal road racing and dangerous driving, but also actively engaged in public outreach and educational campaigns to enhance awareness of road safety. During tropical cyclones and other inclement weather events, all units in the Region diligently contributed their utmost to help residents in need.

Traffic Kowloon East promoted safe cycling at the Tseung Kwan O Cross Bay Link in joint efforts with Tseung Kwan O District and Kowloon East Region's Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol.

Under Project VALUE, the Region collaborated with community stakeholders in a multi-disciplinary approach to organise innovative activities, including a series of competitions under the themes 'STEAM Education', 'Artificial Intelligence' and 'Metaverse', cultural exchange delegations to Beijing and Liaoning, music activities and carnivals, to foster positive values in young people and strengthen their sense of national identity and patriotism. Seminars and guided tours were also held for young people to deepen their understanding of the Police, while more assistance and support were given to equip those who were interested in joining the Force.

    

The Little Grape adorned Kwun Tong Promenade as a giant lantern, attracting passers-by who also watched the Police's drone show organised by Sau Mau Ping District and Kwun Tong District to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day.

As several major infrastructure projects in Kowloon East, including the Kai Tak Sports Park, light public housing, a new acute hospital, trunk road T2 and Cha Kwo Ling Tunnel, will be completed successively, the Region will continue to make use of new technology and work hand in hand with the community to enhance policing services, meet future challenges and exploit new opportunities.

Railway District held exercises with the Fire Services Department and MTR Corporation to simulate derailment inside Tsim Sha Tsui station, with the Police and emergency services working with MTRC staff members to evacuate and rescue passengers.

Kowloon West Region

The overall crime rate in Kowloon West Region climbed in 2023, mainly brought about by a substantial rise in deception. Cases of burglary, robbery, snatching and pickpocketing also recorded significant increases ranging from 41.5% to 215.6%.

Project VANGUARD was expanded to retail operators, jewellery shops and banks to strengthen the Force's intelligence and communication networks. Anti-deception opera shows and crime prevention publicity activities were held for the elderly and Mainland students, respectively. The Kowloon West Youth Care Committee continued to adopt a multi-agency approach to address youth crime and enhance the supervision of youth at risk.

To strengthen the communication, co-ordination and response of government departments and security and property management personnel during major incidents, a joint departmental exercise was held with the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Sino Group in August. Officers simulated an attack in a shopping centre that resulted in serious injuries to a number of casualties and required the Police to take a tactical approach to violent suspects.

Traffic Kowloon West provided over 140 talks on road safety to more than 13,000 students and senior residents. To bring the message to the elderly, the Award Ceremony of Road Safety Photography Competition 2023 cum Road Safety Cantonese Opera was held in October.

Traffic Kowloon West invited a Cantonese opera troupe to promote road safety to the elderly in October.

In view of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD)'s establishment as a new landmark for arts and recreation at the harbour front, Yau Tsim Police District began bicycle patrols in February to strengthen policing effectiveness.

Mong Kok District's Project TORCH has been well received by the community since its launch in 2017, helping youngsters understand police work and providing support and advice to those who aspire to join the Force. Starting in July 2023, the Force's Recruitment Division has been recommending potential candidates to take part in the project. Over 600 have participated, of whom more than 200 have passed the selection process of the Force.

Members of the Project GEMSTONE joined the Tourist Support Team of Yau Tsim District (Auxiliary) in the anti-deception campaign at the harbourfront of Tsim Sha Tsui.

Between February and December, a high-profile trial related to the National Security Law was held at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building, involving 47 defendants charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. Sham Shui Po Police District was responsible for the integrity of the courts building, to ensure that the trial was free from any undue interference.

Kowloon City District, buoyed by the success of Project SEED in promoting the Force's recruitment in 2022, continued to organise experiential activities for students of secondary schools and the Diploma Yi Jin Programme, to help them establish life values and career planning, enhance their understanding of police work and build stronger ties with schools. Since the project's launch in November 2022, the Force has received job applications from 30 students and recruited 12 of them.

New Territories South Region

In 2023, New Territories South Region saw a 43% increase in the number of reported crimes, mainly due to deception cases rising 63% compared with 2022. Significant reductions were seen in gambling offences (down 48%), taking conveyance without authority (down 25%), narcotics (down 21%), unlawful society offences (down 11%), and wounding and serious assault (down 6%).

As public life gradually resumed, all activities in the Region have returned to normal. Traffic flow at Hong Kong International Airport was on the upswing, and the new 'Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles' Scheme provided a particularly strong impetus to boost integration with the Greater Bay Area. The Region had a busy time liaising with government departments to ensure smooth traffic flow and facilitating spectacular sports and charity events, including the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, Cycle for Millions, and the first-of-its-kind Half Marathon, which was successfully held on the Hong Kong Section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

The Region also worked to gain support from community stakeholders in crime prevention. The Regional Crime Prevention Office invited the community and stakeholders to take part in Project e-SecuNet, through which the latest trends and modus operandi used by criminals were shared to raise awareness of crime prevention so that everyone could join hands to fight crime together. Tsuen Wan District initiated Project TEAM WATCH, creating a local policing information dissemination network to enhance collaboration with stakeholders in the community.

The Region has been making great efforts in youth engagement. Kwai Tsing District, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, spearheaded an initiative on early identification of youths in need and engagement with them. The initiative made use of QR codes as a channel for instant referrals, so youngsters could access counselling services and activities provided by different organisations.

Project PRE-EMPT organises activities to disseminate counter-terrorism, anti-fraud and crime prevention messages.

In view of the increasing population of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, Lantau District launched Project SKY to engage students and their parents through Chinese language activities and personal development programmes that were designed for ethnic minorities interested to join the Force, and to provide them with essential life skills, promote good citizenship and encourage abidance by the law. The Emergency Unit of the Region also pioneered a new youth engagement initiative in the form of organising experiential learning activities for local and ethnic minority students that not only enhanced the participants' confidence, but also fostered their interest in becoming part of the Force.

The safety of road users, in particular the elderly, was a major focus in 2023. To involve different stakeholders, Traffic New Territories South launched Project eWALKER with a group of senior citizens appointed as Elderly Road Safety Ambassadors, who actively participated in campaigns and spread road safety messages to the public. Sha Tin District adopted a proactive, multi-agency approach under Project SUNWAI to address concerns relating to pedestrian overcrowding and traffic congestion around a new mega mall, atop Tai Wai MTR station.

The Police Tactical Unit of New Territories South helped rescue victims of a serious traffic accident at Ching Cheung Road in March.

To raise officers' operational readiness for emergencies during a major incident, the Region conducted interdepartmental exercises, including YELLOWFORTRESS, which simulated a train derailment with mass casualties at Airport MTR station. Participating units included Airport District, government departments and public entities. The exercises collectively delivered a great boost to the interoperability and response capabilities between the Police and the parties involved.

Airport District collaborates closely with the aviation community and holds drills to strengthen counter-terrorism abilities and preparedness to deliver a rapid and effective response to an emergency or terror incident.

New Territories North Region

New Territories North Region recorded an increase of 32.2% in the overall crime rate in 2023, mainly led by a significant surge of 51.8% in deception offences. On the other hand, cases of traditional crimes including robbery (down 15%), snatching (down 33%) and taking conveyance without authority (down 26.4%) recorded decreases following the implementation of crime prevention initiatives and enforcement action.

To fight crime and maintain a safe community, the Region launched a number of high-profile campaigns that engaged different sectors of the community, in varying age groups, to share in the ownership of policing issues affecting the community as a whole. The Regional Crime Prevention Office kick-started Project HERO, which has attracted 41 corporations to join as 'Heros', disseminating anti-deception messages to their staff and the public through their own business and publicity channels.

To garner public trust and support at the district level, especially with the youth, Tai Po District launched a new programme for recruitment, called Project PACER, in February. The project targets young people, especially cross-border students, to draw their interest in joining the Force. Yuen Long District appointed young Police Inspectors as Student Engagement Ambassadors to bridge the generation gap and deliver effective talks at schools in the district to raise youth awareness of the importance of abiding by the law and to promote a positive image of the Force. Tuen Mun District provided training in Chinese foot drills and flag raising to local primary and secondary students in September, as a way of instilling a sense of national identity and security in the young.

Yuen Long District launched a Student Engagement Ambassador Programme, appointing eight Inspectors to accompany School Liaison Officers to deliver talks in schools.

In terms of operational policing, the Region's Operations Wing conducted a major incident exercise, codenamed FIRESWEEPER 2023, with the Customs and Excise Department, Fire Services Department and MTR Corporation in June to strengthen communication and interoperability among different departments in handling a major incident at boundary control points. To raise frontline officers' counter-terrorism awareness and to promote the concept of 'Run, Hide, Report' and 'Spot and Report' among the public, the Emergency Unit of the Region conducted the exercise STORMSHIELD in November. To strength interdepartmental interoperability and co-ordination in responding to a major incident with mass casualties, Traffic New Territories North also held a joint exercise, codenamed QUICKSKILL, in the same month with the Fire Services Department, Government Flying Service, Hong Kong St. John Ambulance and Auxiliary Medical Service.

During prolonged extreme conditions, Ta Kwu Ling Division demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and determination, ensuring the safety of villagers through a timely rescue and evacuation.

Border District and Tai Po District actively support the Government's response to protect the community under extreme weather. During flooding in North District in September, both Police Districts took proactive measures for the timely rescue and evacuation of affected villagers, demonstrating a high degree of professionalism and determination. The Region will continue to support the Government's efforts in this area by adopting a multi-agency approach and co-operating with other stakeholders within Hong Kong and the Mainland.

A number of major infrastructural projects are taking place in New Territories North. These strategic projects will bring new policing challenges in the coming years. The Region will continue to look for opportunities to embrace the use of technology for policing, discharge its duties hand in hand with the community and prepare officers to meet emerging challenges ahead.

Led by the anti-scam mascot The Little Grape, Grape Ambassadors of Tai Po District promoted anti-deception message.