Chapter 16
Public Order
Hong Kong continues to be one of the safest cities in the world. The overall crime rate, meaning the number of crimes per 100,000 population, fell 8.3 per cent in 2017 while the violent crime rate fell 10.9 per cent compared with 2016. The overall crime detection rate was 48.2 per cent.
The Security Bureau is responsible for security-related policies, including the maintenance of law and order, exercising immigration and customs control, rehabilitating offenders and drug abusers, and providing emergency fire and rescue services.
Fight Crime Committee
The Fight Crime Committee (FCC), chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, provides advice and recommendations to prevent and reduce crime, coordinates crime-fighting efforts and monitors their results. In 2017, it monitored the overall crime situation, the trend of commercial crime and technology crime, the progress of the Police Superintendent's Discretion Scheme, youth crime, the drug situation and the Correctional Services Department's publicity campaign for rehabilitated people. Deception, sexual assault, theft and drug abuse were targeted in its 2017-18 publicity strategy.
Working with the FCC are the 18 District Fight Crime Committees (DFCCs), which monitor the crime situation at district level, reflect community concerns about law and order and organise district publicity programmes to increase crime prevention awareness. The FCC held an annual dinner and the Fight Crime Reception in March and October respectively to reinforce closer links with the DFCCs.
Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force's commitment to maintaining law and order helps ensure Hong Kong remains one of the world's safest and most stable cities.
At the end of 2017, the police had an establishment of about 29,900 police officers and 4,600 civilian staff, reinforced by some 4,500 volunteers serving in the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force. It appointed 118 inspectors and 1,074 constables during the year.
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