ENG-2001 — Page 394

PUBLIC ORDER

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Close liaison in the form of regular liaison meetings and exchange of intelligence was maintained with the Guangdong Border Defence Bureau. Additionally, the Guangdong bureau undertook to give full co-operation and assistance to the Police Force in combating illegal immigration and in preventing cross-boundary crimes. A project to enhance protective measures along the boundary fence system is to be completed by April 2002. This, in conjunction with the use of advanced technical equipment, will further improve the capability of the Police Force in maintaining boundary security.

Police Dog Unit

There are about 150 dogs in the Police Dog Unit, comprising general patrol dogs and 'sniffer' dogs. The unit is responsible for ensuring that all dogs and handlers are professionally trained and their skills are maintained at a high level of proficiency. The unit also provides training to drug detection dogs from the Customs and Excise Department.

Special 'sniffer' dogs are stationed at the Hong Kong International Airport and the Kai Tak Operational Base to provide round-the-clock service in search operations. The unit's explosives detection dogs also play a key role in security operations undertaken by the Police Force.

Traffic

Traffic Branch officers had an active role in the arrangements for large-scale international functions during the year. The Fortune Global Forum, the East Asia Economic Summit and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council meeting necessitated major diversionary traffic arrangements and full deployment of the Escort Group as well as regional enforcement and control teams.

Apart from their duties dealing with major events and special enforcement operations, Traffic Branch officers launched publicity campaigns on road safety awareness jointly with working partners including schools, trade associations, the mass media, and government bureaux and departments. The enactment of several new pieces of road safety legislation during the year helped in achieving the overall objective. The legislation included increasing the penalty for speeding; mandatory wearing of seat belts by rear seat taxi passengers; introducing 'dangerous driving' and 'dangerous driving causing death' offences to replace 'reckless driving' and 'reckless driving causing death'; and banning the use of telecommunication equipment, except hands free devices, while driving.

The introduction of the Automated Non-stopper Traffic Enforcement Computer System (ANTECS) and the installation of a recording system on Traffic Branch motorcycles further enhanced the process of prosecution and enforcement action against irresponsible driving behaviour. The new system, which computerises the processing of 'non-stop' traffic offences, was implemented in March. It identifies automatically vehicle number plates from photographs, obtains information on vehicle owners from the Transport Department's computer system and reduces processing time from 10 days under the manual system to fewer than three days.

There were 15 631 traffic accidents involving casualties in 2001, representing an increase of 4.6 per cent compared with 2000. The number of fixed penalty tickets for moving offences decreased by 3.6 per cent. Police officers and traffic wardens issued