PUBLIC ORDER
Force-wide planning centred on developments taking place in North Lantau and West Kowloon. A temporary police station at Tung Chung in North Lantau currently under construction will, on completion in late 1993, provide a base for enhanced police coverage until the permanent stations planned for Chek Lap Kok Airport and Tung Chung New Town become operational.
The South East Kowloon Development Study was actively monitored in anticipation that additional police services will be required in that area as a result of flight operations at Kai Tak Airport being moved to Chek Lap Kok.
Tin Shui Wai Divisional Police Station and new facilities for the Police Dog Unit at Ping Shan were completed during the year. The construction of new ranges at the Police Tactical Unit continued and work on the refurbishment or modification of facilities at nine police stations commenced. New quarters for junior police officers on a site in Wong Tai Sin were added to the list of the quarters construction programme underway at Tsing Yi and Fanling.
The construction of a second tower block for the new Police Headquarters at Arsenal Street commenced in mid-1992. On completion in 1996, this building will accommodate most of the headquarters formations presently housed in leased accommodation.
256
Communications
Last year's programme to replace outdated and inefficient telephone exchanges in police facilities continued. Following the acquisition of a large number of facsimile machines, document transmission throughout the territory was speeded.
The difficult terrain and working conditions experienced by the Field Patrol Detachment and the increased workload arising from its assumption of all anti-illegal immigration duties previously undertaken by the military along the border with Shenzhen placed considerable strain on existing communications. To overcome this problem, a new radio system was introduced. This greatly improved communications and the co-ordination of operations.
Communications also have a role to play in the training of police officers in regard to the use of firearms. The provision of interactive audio/video systems during the year to simulate real life situations added a significant new dimension to the firearms training programme.
The heavy involvement of the Marine Police in combating both smuggling and illegal immigration put stress on existing facilities in the maintenance of communications equipment. The removal of the Marine Radio Workshop to improved facilities in the Canton Road Government Offices and the opening of a new maintenance facility in the new Tui Min Hoi Marine Police Base in Sai Kung provided a much needed additional maintenance capability. The introduction of a computer-based management system for maintenance schedules and management of spare parts further helped to reduce the amount of idle time of equipment caused by technical failure or routine preventive maintenance.
Planning to meet the communications needs of police facilities at the new airport and for the increased policing required by planned development on Lantau Island also commenced during the year. This will remain a single major commitment of the engineering resources for the foreseeable future.