ENG-2002 — Page 374

PUBLIC ORDER

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Witness Protection

The Witness Protection Programme is administered by the Police Witness Protection Unit. The unit provides a wide range of protective measures, including a change of identity, tailor-made to suit the needs of individual witnesses assessed as being exposed to a genuine threat of serious physical injury or death. It also assists and advises other units and divisions in the Police Force on protection of witnesses who are under a lesser threat.

Child Protection

In 2002, the five Regional Child Abuse Investigation Units investigated a total of 118 child abuse cases (112 of sexual abuse and six of serious physical abuse). The figure increased by 8.3 per cent compared with a total of 109 cases in 2001. To protect the welfare of children, a multi-disciplinary approach was adopted in handling child abuse cases. Joint investigations were conducted with officers of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) in cases that required immediate social work intervention.

Interviews of children are conducted in one of the five child-friendly video interview suites situated in non-police premises. These interview suites are also equipped with advanced facilities for forensic examinations in a more caring environment.

In 2002, the Police Force and the SWD organised two joint basic training programmes for 42 police officers and SWD officers in special investigations relating to child protection. An expert from the United States was invited to provide refresher training to child protection investigators. Officers from the Child Protection Policy Unit (CPPU) also gave lectures in public education and publicity programmes on the prevention and handling of abuse cases for parents and concerned professionals from the Government and non-governmental organisations.

The CPPU maintains close liaison with overseas law enforcement agencies and non- governmental organisations in exchanging information on combating commercial- related sexual exploitation of children. With a view to better protecting children from exploitation in relation to child pornography and child sex tourism, the Administration introduced the Prevention of Child Pornography Bill into the Legislative Council in January.

Commercial Crime

The number of reports of syndicated and serious fraud handled by the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB) during the year increased by 28 per cent (101 compared with 79 in 2001) and the reported total financial losses rose correspondingly by 19 per cent ($1,505 million compared with $1,264.8 million in 2001).

Police action against investment fraud in recent years has led to a decline in the number of reported cases. Also, the successful conclusion of a number of 'Loco London gold fraud' court cases, with offenders receiving sentences of up to eight years and four months, has had a deterrent effect on such crimes. Strategic and coordinated action by the CCB and Regions against 'pyramid scheme related fraud' has also continued, with arrest action taken against three companies in 2002. This, together with wide publicity in the media, resulted in a substantial reduction in such fraudulent activities, reversing the trends of 2000 and 2001.

There has been a continued increase in the number of complaints of suspected bankruptcy fraud, which rose to 619 cases compared with 263 in 2001. The modus operandi of the suspects is to petition for bankruptcy shortly after they have secured