To tie in with the Government's policy on developing the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong, the Information Systems Wing is dedicated to a wider implementation of digital policing and the tackling of emerging challenges arising from the rapidly changing policing environment being more transnational and technology-oriented. The objectives are to provide secure, reliable and effective information and communications technology services that support the Commissioner's Strategic Action Plan and Operational Priorities. The Service Quality Wing promotes integrity and professionalism, and facilitates continuous improvement and innovation throughout the Force.

Information Systems Wing

To enhance service quality and efficiency, the Information Systems Wing spearheaded the introduction of 19 mobile applications and various innovative digital policing initiatives in 2023, with particular focus on protecting public safety and smoothing the processes for residents to make reports and submit applications. Key projects are highlighted below:

A mobile application, e284A (Electronic Road Accident Reporting), was rolled out in May to enhance operational efficiency and accuracy by streamlining the workflow and to facilitate better documentation of damage-only traffic accidents (TADO) through digital means. The application instantly uploads all data recorded at the scene to back-end servers, preventing loss or leakage of information.

The Advanced Mobile Location service, introduced in 2022, was successfully extended to the Android and Harmony operating systems, making Hong Kong the first Asian city to fully deploy the service. When a member of the public makes a 999 call with the smartphone seeking emergency assistance, the Regional Command and Control Centre will receive the person's GPS location as generated by the smartphone, thus enabling an instantaneous and effective search and rescue.

The HKSOS app issues distress signals that emergency units can capture in extreme conditions without a mobile network, greatly improving search-and-rescue work.

The Force also developed the mobile application HKSOS. This is an innovative digital tool designed to drastically enhance the efficacy of search-and-rescue operations in which lives are at stake. It links directly to the 999 Call Centre and has an in-built accident detection mechanism that can become a critical lifeline during an emergency. The application works by generating unique SOS signals that emergency units can capture even in extreme conditions without a mobile network. This signal can be triggered by the person in need of assistance by their designated emergency contact. Once it is triggered, the 999 Call Centre will be alerted and provided with the precise location so that emergency teams can reach the person swiftly to render assistance. HKSOS also caters for people with speech and hearing impairment who wish to report an emergency. Users with special needs, besides using the existing 992 service, may register on the app so 999 console personnel can recognise their special needs.

The Force has been introducing self-service kiosks in the report rooms of police stations by phases, offering a convenient channel for residents and tourists to report lost property and non-emergency cases through a user-centric self-service platform since 2021. In 2023, the project achieved another milestone by broadening the coverage to Admiralty MTR Station and the Passenger Clearance Building at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in October and November respectively. The Force also launched an online application platform in November, allowing residents to apply for the Closed Area Permit, Road Event Permit and other permits using a single account on a single platform. The platform will be expanded to accommodate more e-services.

The Admiralty station was the Force's public place of choice to install the first self-service kiosk to receive reports of lost property and non-emergencies electronically.。

Within a year of signing a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2022, the Force and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) had been collaborating to explore innovative solutions in different technical areas. The HKSTP recommended more than 50 companies to the Force, with over 40 match-up meetings held and many co-operation projects implemented to strengthen digital policing on various fronts.

Service Quality Wing

In 2023, the Force published a series of Current Strategic Issues Bulletin and advanced the key projects set out under Strategic Directions 2022-2024, while the Efficiency Studies Bureau began the strategic planning process for Strategic Directions 2025-2027, which will be promulgated in early 2025. Apart from carrying out environmental scanning to identify strategic issues that would affect the policing environment, the process will also include external and internal surveys as well as interviews with Force members.

The Force Inspection Process, conducted by the Research and Inspections Branch, seeks to spearhead compliance and accountability across the Force. As part of this process, the e-Smart Check initiative, first rolled out in 2022 to digitalise inspection procedures, was continued in 2023 to mitigate non-compliance risks while raising the Force's compliance rates.

To enhance the operational efficacy, manpower efficiency and service quality of core service deliverables, the Force also actively digitalises internal work processes. Projects under way include setting up an interactive voice response system on the report room hotline; automating the correspondence of case details and progress with informants; monitoring case investigation and prosecution progress electronically; and reviewing procedures for the inspection of safes.

Awardees received recognition for their valuable contributions to the Police Staff Suggestions Scheme.

The Police Service Satisfaction Survey, the Public Opinion Survey and the Staff Opinion Survey are useful tools for canvassing feedback from both the public and internal staff on the standard of police services. The results of the latest surveys, announced in 2022, were encouraging and acknowledged the Force's efforts in maintaining law and order and advancing police services. The findings served as an important indicator of the Force's pursuit of excellent service and have been incorporated by the Service Standards Bureau in the Living the Values Workshop Wave X, named 'Your Actions Count' and scheduled for the second quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The theme of the workshop is 'Professionalism'. It emphasises going back to basics to re-engage with the public and regain their trust through empathy, sensitivity and respect, with an additional message about police identity. A bottom-up approach was adopted for the first time as the workshop was organised for two cadres. The first cadre, which targets regular and auxiliary officers of Police Constable to Senior Inspector of Police ranks and civilian officers of equivalent ranks, completed its workshop in December and the second cadre, which targets regular and auxiliary officers of Chief Inspector of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police ranks and civilian officers of equivalent ranks, completed its workshop in the first quarter of 2024. The workshop has enhanced officers' awareness and practising of Force values in their daily work.

Complaints and Internal Investigations Branch

Under a statutory two-tier complaint system, the Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO) handles complaints lodged by the public against Force members and collaborates with the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) to discharge its statutory functions, so as to enhance the Force's service quality.

In 2023, the CAPO received 1,736 reportable complaints, up 35% from 1,287 cases in 2022. The increase was mainly attributable to increased interaction between the Police and the public following society's return to normalcy, and about 95% of the complaints were of a minor nature. Serious complaints dropped by over 20%. Initiatives launched by the Force Committee on Complaints Prevention and Regional Committees on Complaints Prevention in the year included the 'CAPO Friendly Reminder' e-poster, complaint prevention videos featuring 'Justice Bao' and 'CAPO News', the 'One Click No Complaint' online quiz, and Studio ImmerXe 360 training videos that adapted scenarios from complaint cases, all aiming to raise officers' awareness of how to prevent complaints. Supervisory officers are encouraged to use the interactive tool CAPO Smart Analysis to monitor and analyse complaint data and trends so as to formulate effective preventive strategies. The CAPO also introduced policing principles and procedures to the public through the production of short videos, OffBeat 120s, with a TV station, and by publishing feature articles on online media, to minimise complaints arising from misunderstandings and to enhance the transparency of the complaints handling procedures.

IPCC members watched as Emergency Unit Officers carried out an on-site exercise.

IPCC members tried out the Ship Simulator training facility.

The Force Committee on Integrity Management (IM) formulates IM policy, provides directions on key IM issues, and monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of the four-pronged Force Strategy on IM, namely education and culture building, governance and control, enforcement and deterrence, and reintegration and support.

The Internal Investigations Office (IIO) helps implement the Force Strategy on IM and inspire officers to uphold the Force's values of integrity and honesty. In 2023, an IM theme, 'Having a Clear Conscience', was launched, underpinned by the four key messages of 'Supervisory Accountability', 'Never Forget Why We Started', 'A Determined Mind' and 'With No Regrets' to promote a culture of integrity across the Force.

The IIO emphasises the importance of supervisory accountability and timely intervention and promotes positive peer influence. The 2022 IM Seminar and IM Questionnaire showed that police identity and peer support were regarded as the most essential values to prevent frontline officers from committing malpractice or misconduct. Based on the findings, the Complaints and Internal Investigations Branch organised the campaign, 'Tell the Police Story Well', across the Force through a lift door design competition in early 2023 to echo the themes, 'Lead by Example', 'Never Forget Why We Started' and 'Companions'.

The Complaints and Internal Investigations Branch encouraged officers to tell their police stories well by submitting photos to the Lift Door Poster Design Competition.

The Integrity Audit Action Group (IAAG) strengthens the Force's IM through proactive investigation of serious misconduct and illegal activities involving Force members, conducting timely identification and rectification of duty-related systemic risks and improving supervisory accountability. In order to enhance the Force's integrity culture and ensure officers' good conduct, the IAAG continued implementing three IM initiatives, namely the Voluntary Drug Test Scheme, the Financial Declaration Scheme and the Financial Screening Scheme, in 2023.