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Police Complaints System in Hong Kong

Ms. Evelyn LAM Man-sai

Chief Superintendent

Complaints & Internal Investigations Branch

Hong Kong Police

Content

1 The HKPF and Policing in Hong Kong

Any other issues5

2 Cultural Change

3 HKP Two-Tier Complaints System

4 Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC)

3

Background of HKPF

Established in 1844 (170 years)

A single Force

Commanded by the Commissioner of Police

appointed by the Central Government

Agency of first response

Agency of last resort

Extended and expanding

responsibilities

4

Background of HKPF

Annual budget : HK$13.1 billion (US$1.68 billion)

28,000+ regular officers

(15% Female)

40 officers per 10,000 citizens (with HK total population at 7.1 million)

(1 officer : 250 citizens)

Supported by

– 4,600 Civilians

– 3,700 Auxiliary

5

Challenges in the 90s and Millennium

6

HKPF in Figures

17232 17087

1355114140 14542

13890 1389014847 14934

14429 1419313546

13100 1282112153

72911759307593675965

75877

77630

8780491866

73008

88377

8131577437

81125 8079678469

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1994 1995 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000Violent Crime Overall Crime

7

43545072

4482

33482837 2731

0

7037

8029

9138

8394

6269

5554

500

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 2013

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000Armed Robbery Overall Robbery

HKPF in Figures

8

HKPF in Figures

Crime rate per 100,000 population (Compared with other major cities)

City / Year 2006 2010 2011 2012 2013

Singapore 745 653 608 584 549

Hong Kong 1 183 1 081 1 074 1 061 1 015

Tokyo 2 160 1 640 1 414 1 387 N/A

New York 2 517 2 257 2 334 2 361 N/A

Toronto 7 571 5 918 5 685 5 271 N/A

Paris 11 849 10 847 11 150 10 455 N/A

London 12 400 10 700 10 300 9 500 N/A

Source: HKP

9

HKPF in Figures

Reliability of Police Service “To what extent can police services be relied upon to enforce law and order?”

Rank Country

1 Finland

2 New Zealand

3 Qatar

4 Hong Kong

5 Singapore

…

14 Canada

…

24 United States

26 United Kingdom Out of 148 Countries

Source: World Economic Forum – Global Competitiveness Report (2013/14) 10

Cultural Change

11

Cultural Change

12

Cultural Change

Corruption Reports

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 130

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Police-related Corruption (%) Total Corruption

13

History of CAPO

Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO) Set up in 1974

All complaints investigated by CAPO

In 1977, Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) Police Group set up to monitor the work of CAPO

In 1986, restructuring of UMELCO Police Group to become independent police complaints monitoring council, renamed Police Complaints Committee (PCC)

In 1994, PCC renamed as IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Council)

In 2009, Independent Police Complaints Council Ordinance (IPCCO) (Cap. 604 Laws of Hong Kong) was enacted

14

About the IPCC

An independent body established under the IPCCO

IPCCO codified the two-tier complaints system

IPCC became a statutory body since 1 June 2009

IPCC Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Members are all appointed by the Chief Executive and are drawn from a wide spectrum of society

15

About the IPCC

Functions of IPCC – s. 8 of IPCCO

To observe, monitor and review the handling and investigation of reportable complaints by the Commissioner of Police (CP)

To monitor actions taken or to be taken in respect of any police officer by the CP in connection with reportable complaints

To identify any fault or deficiency in police practices or procedures that has led to or might lead to a reportable complaint

To advise the CP and/or the Chief Executive of its opinion and/or recommendation in connection with reportable complaints

To promote public awareness of the role of the Council

16

Complaint Trend

Complaint Figures

2,430

(+2.4%)

2,373

(-14.1%)

2,762

(-15.6%)

3,271

(-22.7%)

4,231

(+58.3%)

2,672

(+5.7%)2,528

(+0.7%)

2,511

(-6.7%)

2,690

(-16.3%)

3,214

(-5.0%)

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Reporting Year

Num

ber o

f Cas

es

1. Figures in brackets denote yearly percentage (%) change.

2. Figures slightly differ from CAPO Annual Review 2012 due to the cancellation of

duplicate cases.

17

Comparison of Police Complaints

Hong Kong England & Wales Canada

Number of Police Officers

28,000 31,000

(Met Police)

24,500

(Ontario only)

Number of Complaints

2,430 complaints

(2013)

6,610 complaints (2011-12)

3,316 complaints

(2012-13)

Complaints per 1,000 officers

86 213 135

Complaint System

Two-tier

(investigated by Police and

oversee by IPCC)

Two-tier

(investigated by Police/IPCC and oversee by IPCC)

Two-tier

(investigated by Police/OIPRD and oversee by OIPRD)

Oversight Body Independent

Police Complaints Council (IPCC)

Independent Police Complaints

Commission (IPCC)

Office of the Independent Police

Review Director (OIPRD) 18

Complaint Trend

1,226

1,398

641567

256245

98 99 63 67

48 32 39 212 0

0 1

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

Num

ber

of

Cas

es

2012 2013

Neglect

of Duty

Offensive

Language

Unnecessary

Use of

Authority

Fabrication of

Evidence

ThreatAssaultMisconduct /

Improper

Manner

Allegation

Police

Procedures

Other

Offences

Complaint Trend – Force – Allegation

14%

(10.0%)

(4.1%) (2.8%)

(10.8%)

(4.1%) (2.7%)

19

Two-tier Complaints System

COMs lodge complaints via

various channels

Notifiable Complaint (NC) Miscellaneous Cases

Reportable Complaints (RC) or Serious/sensitive NC

Investigated by Respective CAPO Team

Handled/Investigated by COMEE’s Formation

• Police Stations • CAPO Report Centre • Other Government

Department • Media

IPCC for Endorsement

20

CAPO’s Vision

Enhance Credibility Internally and Externally

Maintain Effectiveness and Integrity of the

Two-Tier Complaints System

21

Internal Efforts

Corporate Buy-in & Complaints Prevention

• FCCP supported by RCPCs in cascading down complaints prevention initiatives

• Re-packaged Outreach programme

• Conducted 287 Outreach visits in 2013

• All-level engagement

[DC / SSP Crime / DVC Conferences / Training Days]

• Client oriented & focus on local issues/trends

• Early intervention and avoid the avoidable

22

Internal Efforts

Identify Inadequacies in Procedures and Orders

– Over 50 Service Quality Improvement studies by CAPO & policyholders since 2010, many were raised by IPCC

Supporting the Frontline by Raising Professionalism

– Tips for Smart Cops

– Complaints Prevention E-Newsletter

– Project Lighthouse (to deal with

confrontational situations)

– Project Peace (to deal with land dispute)

– Project Change (to deal with traffic complaints)

23

External Efforts - Stakeholders

Integrity of the Two-Tier Complaints System

– ISO 10002:2004 “Customer Satisfaction”

– Telephone Recording System

– Demonstrate joint effort to improve procedures and Orders in open part of joint meetings

Engaging the Community

– Thematic presentations in open part of joint meetings (on initiatives on Service Quality & Complaints Prevention)

– Publication of re-packaged CAPO Annual Review

– Educational & complaints prevention videos for Report Rooms / Public Page / Police YouTube

24

Summary

HKP Complaints System • Two-Tier Complaints System

• Working Hand-in-Hand with IPCC to Maintain the

Integrity of the System

• Continuous Improvement to Enhance Service Quality

25

26