PUBLIC ORDER
The Liaison Division is responsible for contacts with the Mainland police authorities. Close liaison has been maintained with the Interpol China National Central Bureau (CNCB) in Beijing, the Guangdong Liaison Office, Shenzhen and Zhuhai Liaison Sub-Offices in Guangdong Province and other Mainland law enforcement organisations. Since 1992, 120 criminal fugitives and 108 stolen vehicles have been returned to Hong Kong from the Mainland.
The Interpol Division represents the force in the International Criminal Police Organisation (ICPO) Interpol as a sub-bureau of the CNCB. A Hong Kong Police officer is seconded to the ICPO General Secretariat in Lyon, France, to work in one of its specialised groups.
Public Order
During the year, the PTU was engaged in security assurance and crowd management during major events including the Handover anniversary celebrations, visits by Presidents Jiang and Clinton, Legislative Council elections, and the relocation of the airport. PTU officers also played an important role in assisting other units with crowd management duties during the Christmas and New Year festivals and large- scale public events, such as the National Day fireworks displays, and at public gatherings, processions and demonstrations. They also undertook many anti-crime operations and anti-illegal immigration patrols. However, from October 26, PTU officers have ceased patrolling the SAR/Mainland boundary as these duties were taken over by the revamped Police Border District.
During the year, more than 2 000 police officers from the rank of superintendent to constable were deployed to the five Police Regions throughout Hong Kong after receiving internal security, crowd management and advanced tactical training at the PTU. To further enhance the capability of the unit, PTU training staff visited the USA and South Korea to exchange ideas and experience on crowd management methods and defensive tactics.
The Special Duties Unit, the force's counter-terrorist response unit, played an important role during the presidential visits and was deployed on several occasions to help crime units tackle armed criminal gangs.
Illegal Immigration
The downward trend in the number of illegal immigrants (IIs) from the Mainland continued, with 14 613 IIs arrested in 1998, an average of 40 per day, representing a decrease of 18 per cent from 17 819 in 1997. Of these, 45 per cent claimed to have come by sea and the rest came across the land boundary. Crossing the boundary by hiding below vehicles was a popular method for sneaking into the SAR. Although IIs from Guangdong Province still comprised the largest number of arrests, their proportion to the total number of IIs arrested fell 25 per cent in 1998 compared with the 1997 figure. However, the proportion of IIs from northern provinces such as Hunan and Hubei rose. On average, 3 059 officers and 47 vessels were deployed to counter illegal immigrants each day in 1998.
An under-vehicle surveillance system was installed to assist in checking IIs hiding under vehicles at boundary-crossing points. Police continued to maintain close liaison with officers of the Guangdong Border Defence Bureau. Regular meetings were held to exchange intelligence on illegal immigration.
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