24th May 2023 – (Hong Kong) Hong Kong’s public safety has been a cause for concern, especially as the city has seen several gruesome and bloody crimes this year. There have also been street attacks and a surge in fraud cases. In addition, cases involving police officers and non-Chinese offenders have continued to make headlines, leading some members of the public to believe that the authorities prioritise national security over public safety.
According to the Security Bureau, 11 regular police officers were arrested between January and April this year, accounting for 26% of the total of 42 arrests made in 2020. In the period from 2019 to 2021, there were 24, 45, and 37 arrests respectively, with a total of 159 officers arrested in the past four and a half years.
Meanwhile, the number of non-Chinese offenders arrested for criminal offenses has risen significantly. In the first quarter of 2021, 776 non-Chinese individuals were arrested, a 51% increase from the same period last year. The total number of arrests for non-Chinese offenders from 2019 to 2021 was 2,801, 3,109, and 3,251, respectively, with a total of 12,740 arrests made in the past four years.
These figures have raised concerns among the public, with some questioning the effectiveness of law enforcement and the government’s ability to maintain public safety. In response to these concerns, the Security Bureau has emphasised that it is taking all necessary measures to combat crime, including increasing the police force’s manpower, enhancing their training, and improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system.