ENG-2001 — Page 406

PUBLIC ORDER

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Training

All recruits to the Customs and Excise Department undergo basic training at the department's training school in Tai Lam Chung. Apart from induction training, the department provides local and overseas vocational training necessary for its staff to discharge their duties. During the year, 6 610 in-house training places were provided while 124 staff underwent training either overseas or in the Mainland. The department also organised training courses for other customs administrations as part of its international co-operation efforts. In 2001, a total of 57 officers from the Customs Administrations of the Mainland received training in Hong Kong and officers of the department also conducted two training courses in Macau for 44 officers of the Macau Customs Administration.

In enhancing staff training and development, the department established a dedicated Office of Training and Development in June. The new office has assumed overall responsibility for training and development matters.

Information Technology

The department developed a computerised Case Processing System, which was put into service in December. The main objectives of the system are to monitor and enhance quality, efficiency, effectiveness and security in processing criminal cases. It provides functions to support processing of information and documentation regarding intelligence, investigation, prosecution and disposal of seized items. The system, designed to interface with other computer systems in the department, provides a centralised database to speed up data retrieval, facilitates the sharing of records and generates reports for operational support. It also offers a statistics generating function to aid monitoring of performance, strategic planning and decision-making at all management levels. The system has been integrated with over 800 workstations under the Government Office Automation Programme, thereby taking further forward the internal information technology infrastructure built in 2000. Communication among different offices has improved markedly as a result.

Aimed at boosting the capability to tackle customs-related offences committed in 'cyberspace' or with the use of hi-tech computers, the department established a Computer Forensic Laboratory in November 2000. Equipped with a range of hi-tech forensic tools, the laboratory is manned by officers specially trained to support field officers in the retrieval of digital evidence and forensic analysis of seized computer equipment.

Performance Pledges

The department's eighth set of performance pledges was published, together with the department's vision, mission and value statements. These reinforce the department's commitment to quality service. For better public accountability, the department regularly reviews the quality of its services with four customer liaison groups connected with the air freight, sea freight, cross-boundary transport and dutiable commodities trades. A home page provides comprehensive and updated information about the department to the public through the Internet.

Independent Commission Against Corruption

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is independent of the Civil Service. Its Commissioner is directly accountable to the Chief Executive of the