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More efficient deployment of resources and improved Police coverage along the boundary have been achieved upon the completion of the amalgamation of the Field Patrol Detachment (FPD) with the Border District.

Speaking after a media visit to the boundary near Lok Ma Chau today (Friday), Regional Commander of New Territories North, Mr Ng Wai-kit, said the amalgamation of the FPD with the Border District commenced in December 1997 with the fourth and final phase completed in October 1998.

The amalgamation of the FPD with the Lok Ma Chau Division which is responsible for anti-illegal immigration duties along the boundary near Lok Ma Chau and Mai Po became the last phase of the exercise.

"The amalgamation saw improvements to the land boundary policing, including more efficient deployment of resources and enhanced command structure along the boundary," said Mr Ng.

The FPD was formed in December 1990 when Police resumed responsibility from the military for patrolling the former Sino-Hong Kong border on anti-illegal immigration duties.

In the past, each Police Tactical Unit (PTU) company underwent a three-month training before a four-month attachment to the boundary as the FPD and a five-month regional attachment.

For the first three months of the FPD attachment, the company was deployed to Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok or Lok Ma Chau while the final month was spent as a "Quick Reaction Force" (QRF).

The system of rotating PTU companies through the FPD duties on a four-month attachment required the Force to produce 13 PTU companies annually.

Mr Ng pointed out that the rotating system resulted in significant drain on regional resources, frequent repeated attendance at PTU and duplicated training.

Coupled with problems of overlapping commands, this warranted improvements to the rotating system.

After the amalgamation, the PTU officers were no longer required to perform FPD duties.

The PTU manpower formerly held for the FPD were deployed as part of the Border District with one PTU company attached to each of the divisions, namely Ta Kwu Ling, Sha Tau Kok and Lok Ma Chau.

Meanwhile a three-platoon QRF was retained in a task-force role, with a fourth platoon re-deployed to the Yuen Long District to conduct anti-illegal immigration duties in the Tsim Bei Tsui area.

This led to a reduction in the number of PTU companies required to be trained from 13 to eight each year, thereby reducing repeated attendance at the PTU and ending duplicated training.

With the completion of the amalgamation, Mr Ng pointed out that the Border District's establishment was raised from 695 to 1 205, which was expected to improve Police coverage along the boundary and further enhance cross boundary anti-illegal immigration liaison.

He further noted that the efficiency of anti-illegal immigration duties discharged by Police was maintained after the amalgamation exercise.

Police records showed that 3 626 illegal immigrants (IIs) were apprehended in the Border District in 1997; in the past 10 months when the amalgamation exercise was underway, 2 537 illegal IIs were netted in the district.

Police Report No. 3

Issued by PPRB

End/1915 hours, Friday, November 13, 1998 (EL/PW)

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