*************************************
Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, to a question by the Hon James To in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
Question:
On August 4 this year, an organisation held a forum entitled "Support Vigilant Law Enforcement Actions taken by the Police; Let Vulgarism Stay Away from Schools" at the pedestrian precinct in Mong Kok. It has been reported that since several thousand people who came from both camps in support of and against the forum organiser showed up, and engaged in a war of words, the Police had to separate them and implement crowd management measures by putting up mills barriers. In the course of the assembly, a participant claimed to have been assaulted and immediately sought assistance from the police officers on the spot. However, on the ground that they were carrying out crowd management duties, the police officers concerned instructed the person concerned to call the command and control centre of the Police (999 Control Centre) on his own for assistance. It was not until one hour after the person concerned had made the report did other police officers arrive at the scene to handle the assault incident. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether, in the course of carrying out crowd management duties, frontline police officers may refuse to provide assistance to members of the public who have encountered emergency matters (such as being assaulted); if so, of the justifications for that;
(b) whether the authorities have issued clear guidelines to frontline police officers on the handling, while carrying out crowd management duties, of requests for assistance from members of the public who have encountered emergency matters; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(c) of the number of requests for assistance received directly in the past three years by frontline police officers whilst on duty from members of the public concerning personal safety under threat (such as being assaulted); among such cases, the number of those in which members of the public seeking assistance were instructed by frontline police officers to report to the Police by calling the 999 Control Centre on their own, as well as the average time required for police officers to arrive at the scene upon receipt of reports, with a breakdown by the district in which the incidents occurred;
(d) of the number of complaints received to date by the authorities from members of the public against police officers on duty at the aforesaid assembly, the contents of the complaints as well as the progress of investigation; and
(e) whether the authorities have reviewed the handling of the conflicts that occurred during the aforesaid assembly (including the conflicts among participants as well as the conflicts between the Police and members of the public), and issued new guidelines to frontline police officers with a view to handling such activities and conflicts more effectively; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Police have been handling all public order events in a fair, just and impartial manner in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong. The enforcement policy of the Police is to endeavour to strike a balance by striving to facilitate the smooth conduct of lawful and peaceful public meetings and processions on one hand, while on the other, minimising the impact of such events on members of the public and other road users, as well as ensuring public order and public safety.
Regarding the public order event at the pedestrian precinct in Mong Kok on August 4, 2013, the Police arrested a total of six persons who were suspected of having breached the law. Upon receipt of six related 999 emergency calls in the course of the event, the Police took follow-up actions on all such calls within the pledged response time, and subsequently followed up on relevant cases.
The Administration's reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(a)&(b) While performing crowd management duties, the Police are required to handle unforeseen requests for assistance in a timely manner. Based on the objectives, nature, number of participants, risk assessments and operational commitments of individual events, the Police formulate corresponding crowd management measures and contingency plans, and make available sufficient manpower to deal with any unforeseen incidents. Field commanders will suitably deploy manpower to tackle such incidents. In critical circumstances or if there are any acts in breach of social peace, the Police shall take decisive enforcement actions immediately.
Generally speaking, upon receipt of requests for assistance from members of the public, frontline police officers will take immediate follow-up actions. In case prompt assistance cannot be rendered due to other commitments, the officers concerned will, taking account of the situation at scene, make reasonable judgment and arrangement, and provide explanations to members of the public and offer them alternative ways of assistance. Members of the public may lodge complaints to the Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO) in case they are dissatisfied with police officers' on-spot handling. All such complaints will be handled in a fair and just manner.
(c) The Police do not maintain such figures.
The Police have been striving to respond to all genuine 999 emergency calls within the performance pledge of nine minutes in Hong Kong and Kowloon, and 15 minutes in the New Territories. The response time is measured from the time a report is received at the Regional Command and Control Centre 999 console until police officers arrive at the scene. According to Police, most of the emergency cases are attended to within the pledged response time. In the first half of 2013, 98.9 per cent of the emergency cases met the performance pledge.
(d) As at October 11, 2013, the CAPO received a total of three "reportable complaints" against police officers on duty at the meeting at the pedestrian precinct in Mong Kok on August 4, which were directed at police officers' handling of an assault case, a case of suspected snatching of police revolver and a case of alleged assault by police officers. In addition, the CAPO received six "notifiable complaints" against police officers on duty at the aforesaid meeting, which were directed at Police's handling of a confrontation at the pedestrian precinct, a case of suspected snatching of police revolver, officers' use of foul language and the closure of a road section. The CAPO, has started investigation in accordance with the established mechanism of handling complaints against police officers, and approached the complainants of relevant cases for follow-up.
(e) The Police have a wealth of experience in handling different types of processions and meetings. Appropriate arrangements would be made after taking into account the objectives, nature, number of participants, risk assessments and operational commitments of individual events. Generally speaking, upon knowing that organisations with different positions are going to hold public order events at the same place, the Police will adopt appropriate segregation measures, including the designation of "public activity areas" for various organisations to facilitate their expression of views and to ensure that the events will be conducted in a safe and orderly manner.
In addition, the Police have been making efforts to enhance officers' training in handling demonstrations launched by groups with different positions as well as increasingly drastic demonstrations. To assist frontline officers in their handling of public order events in a more effective manner, the Police, on the basis of their experiences in handling such events, provide relevant training to officers of different ranks, including programmes on relevant legislation and their application, assistance to be rendered to organisers for the orderly conduct of public order events, designation of "public activity areas" and formulation of contingency plans, etc.
The Police will continue to conduct law enforcement and handle all public order events in a professional, fair and just manner.
Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:23
NNNN
