ENG-2002 — Page 386

PUBLIC ORDER

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Planning and Development

The Police Force is pursuing a major building works programme, in the forefront of which is the construction of a new Police Headquarters scheduled for completion in April 2004. This complex will be an intelligent building designed to be efficient, user friendly and energy efficient.

Other building projects include a new Police Dog Unit and Force Search Unit complex in Sha Ling, New Territories, which is due for completion in September 2003. The Hong Kong Disneyland being built at Penny's Bay, Lantau Island, makes provision for a new Police Post which is scheduled for completion in late 2004.

Also being constructed is a new purpose-built Regional Police Headquarters and Operational Base for the New Territories South Region. This complex is expected to be completed in late 2005. Similar Regional Headquarter complexes for other Police Regions are in the early planning stages. A new Marine Police Outer Waters District and North Division Base at Ma Liu Shui is in an advanced stage of planning.

The force-wide Station Improvement Project, in which customer service quality is manifested with the provision of modern, high profile report rooms and public interface areas for all divisional police stations, was completed at the end of the year. At the same time, work to upgrade changing room facilities and resource centres to facilitate development and learning among officers, is due to be completed in mid-2003. Security of police stations is being enhanced with the implementation of an Automated Station Security System. Access to police facilities by pedestrians and vehicular traffic alike will be by means of 'smart card' technology. Installation of this system will also result in manpower savings.

In conjunction with the expanding road and rail infrastructure in Hong Kong, facilities are being planned to police the cross-boundary points as well as providing enhanced accommodation to house the Rail Transport District.

Transport

All Regions now have new improved, purpose-built Command Units to provide more efficient and effective front-line command and control. The safety standards of police vehicles continue to improve, meeting internationally recognised levels in seat installation, flooring materials, ergonomic design and reflective markings for enhanced visibility. This safety initiative has also been extended to all new prisoner and illegal immigrant repatriation escort buses. The police fleet has also been fitted with access control tags in preparation for the implementation of the manpower saving automated station access system.

Communications

The existing police beat and crime radio networks have been greatly enhanced with additional repeater stations to cater for ever increasing police deployment in new urban and rural developments. In furtherance of the Government's Enhanced Productivity Programme, the traffic police radio platform is now shared with the Correctional Services Department, having been successfully used by the Auxiliary Medical Service since 2001.

Planning is well in hand for implementation of telephone and structured cabling systems for the new Police Headquarters Phase III building in early 2004. The new telephone system will make use of an Internet Protocol (IP) or hybrid solution, which