ENG-1986 — Page 251

PUBLIC ORDER

209

Approval was obtained for a five-year project to replace and integrate most of the existing communications facilities. This will cover the expansion of these facilities to include areas previously excluded from the beat radio system. A new radio relay system will ensure that the police force has continuous communication availability and greater flexibility for use during major operations and natural disasters.

Transport

The fleet now consists of 1 311 four-wheeled vehicles and 720 motorcycles. The introduc- tion of dedicated vehicles for district Special Duties squads has proved successful, improving the efficiency of the units in their anti-vice activities.

Computer Development

11

There has been a steady expansion in the use of computers within the police force. The Commercial Crime Bureau and Kowloon Region now have a number of micro-computers to aid investigation into major crimes. For a six-month trial period, the Criminal Intelligence Bureau was provided with computer facilities designed to enhance significantly the collection, collation and analysis of intelligence on territory-wide triad and organised crime activities. Eight microcomputers have been obtained for the Regional Intelligence Units and selected District Intelligence Sections to improve their storage, retrieval and analysis of information on criminals and crime patterns. The benefits of all these computer facilities are being evaluated. Preparations continued for the introduction of a Personnel and Training Computer System to improve the maintenance of personal records and to aid management in career planning and resources deployment.

Licensing and Societies Registration

Work continued on proposed amendments to the Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance, to provide for stricter controls of imitation firearms, and on amendments to the Watchmen Ordinance.

Applications for licences, for which the Commissioner of Police is the authority, continued to increase steadily. At the end of the year, 70 348 watchmen were registered. There were 242 registered societies; 31 societies exempted from registration, and 129 licensed massage establishments.

In addition, an inter-departmental review was conducted on the fees charged for licences, certificates and permits issued by the Commissioner of Police, with the aim of recovering the full costs of processing. The recommendations of this review are likely to come into effect in 1987.

Police Dogs

Police Dogs are trained at the Police Dog Unit at Yuen Long in the New Territories and are used for such work as patrolling, tracking and detecting dangerous drugs. Comprehensive training programmes were regularly attended by the handlers and their dogs to ensure that high standards of operational performance were maintained.

The Police Dog Unit also frequently gave public demonstrations.

The unit has 92 police dogs, most of them German Shepherds.

Personnel

At year's end, the police force had an establishment of 25 957 disciplined posts, 560 more than the figure in 1985. In addition, it had 5 716 civilian personnel, representing 18.04 per cent of the overall establishment.