ENG-2020 — Page 299

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Public Order

Public Assemblies and Processions

Hong Kong residents enjoy freedom of speech and the right to peaceful assembly, procession and demonstration. The police facilitate all lawful and peaceful public meetings and processions fairly and impartially, while ensuring public order and safety is maintained and seeking to minimise the impact of these events on other members of the public. During the year, 9,750 public meetings and processions were held.

Public Relations

The Police Public Relations Branch disseminates information about police activities to local and overseas media round the clock and releases information on unforeseen incidents through an interactive electronic platform. The branch also helps the Fight Crime Committee plan and implement publicity campaigns.

The branch uses online platforms, including the police website, mobile application and social media, to strengthen the police force's connection with the community. Live reports are conducted to increase public understanding of police work and gain public support and trust. During 2020, the branch held press conferences and case briefings and produced videos to disseminate timely information to the public.

The branch's OffBeat On Air provides information on crime prevention measures and the work of individual police units. The branch also helps television broadcasters and film production companies produce dramas, documentaries and films related to police work, and offers advice. and assistance on location filming. It publishes a fortnightly newspaper, OffBeat; the monthly Junior Police Call Newsletter; the quarterly Senior Police Call Newsletter; and the annual Hong Kong Police Review.

Engaging the Community

The Junior Police Call scheme and Police School Liaison Programme serve as bridges between the police and young people, while the Senior Police Call scheme promotes crime prevention, crime fighting and road safety messages among the elderly. Police Community Liaison Assistants are recruited to build long-term relationships with the non-ethnic-Chinese community.

JPC@Pat Heung, the branch's Junior Police Call Permanent Activity Centre, serves junior and senior police call scheme members, students, youth organisations and non-ethnic-Chinese residents. It promotes awareness of abiding by the law, instils positive values in the young and enhances their self-confidence and leadership skills through activities such as physical fitness. training. In March, the centre was converted to a temporary COVID-19 quarantine centre.

Planning and Development

The police have been implementing the New Generation Report Room project since 2010 to provide greater privacy for the public in making reports and to enhance security. In 2020, a new report room was commissioned at Sha Tin Police Station. Police facilities at the new Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and the new Kowloon East Regional Headquarters and Operational Base cum Ngau Tau Kok Divisional Police Station were also commissioned in 2020.

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