ENG-2009 — Page 380

308 Public Order

Traffic

During the year, there were 14 316 traffic accidents involving casualties including 126 deaths, a decrease of 1.8 per cent and 11.9 per cent respectively when compared to 2008. A total of 428 838 fixed-penalty tickets for driving offences were issued, a decrease of 5.5 per cent compared with the previous year. In addition, 718 258 tickets were issued for parking offences representing an increase of 3.2 per cent and a total of 63 826 summonses were served on traffic offenders, a decrease of 4.3 per cent compared to 2008.

Public Relations

The Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) plays an important role in enlisting the public's support in maintaining law and order by keeping them informed of the Police's work and maintaining good relations with all sectors of the community. Information about police activities is distributed to the local and overseas media round-the-clock.

Details of the Police's policies and operational priorities are made available to the public by Police Community Relations Officers while the Junior Police Call (JPC) Scheme and the Police School Liaison Programme serve as bridges between the Police and young people.

To keep the public abreast of crime trends and crime prevention measures, the PPRB worked closely with Radio Television Hong Kong and Cable TV to produce a number of TV programmes, including Police Magazine, Police Report and Police Bulletin. Over the course of 36 years, Police Magazine has continued to expand its audience. The PPRB also worked with TV broadcasters and film-production companies, both local and overseas, to produce TV dramas, documentaries and films related to police work. In this connection, the PPRB supported the Create Hong Kong in processing applications for filming-related licences.

The PPRB produced a number of publications, including a bi-weekly newspaper called Offbeat, a JPC monthly newsletter and the Hong Kong Police Review 2008. it also assisted the Fight Crime Committee in planning and implementing the Fight Crime Publicity Campaign 2009-10.

Organised by the Police Force and sponsored by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the Good Citizen Award Scheme gives recognition to citizens who have assisted the Police in its fight against crime. This year, 80 citizens received awards under the scheme.

Police hotlines and crime information forms provide convenient channels for reporting crime. By year-end, the Police had received a total of 23 353 hotline phone calls (excluding those made to the 999 emergency hotline) and 3 139 crime information forms, resulting in 426 arrests.

Planning and Development

Construction of the new Central District Headquarters and the new Central Division Police Station alongside the existing Waterfront Police Station,

Station, was completed in September. Central District Headquarters and Central Division