SHAU KEI WAN police station may be closed under a proposal that has sparked fears of a crime wave in the fast growing community of 230,000 people.
Grassroot representatives for Hong Kong Island's second-largest police district are demanding answers after regional commander Paul Hung Hak-wai confirmed that partial or total closure of the station was being considered by police headquarters.
'We are examining the feasibility of what sort of service something other than a police station can provide,' Mr Hung told the Sunday Morning Post.
'Does it really benefit the public to have a police station with all its overheads?' He added: 'It's a bit premature to say the station's fate has been cast in stone.
'With the technological developments, you don't really need people to come to [the station]. Maybe telephone, fax and computers . . . can fulfil policing needs to keep pace with the times.' The proposal has raised fears among community representatives, who say police should instead be looking at extending their presence with the expected population growth in the area.
Eastern District's Fight Crime Committee chairman Philip Mak Shun-pong said he had sought a meeting with Mr Hung and Home Affairs officials to discuss the issue.
He said the proposal was never raised with the 22-member Fight Crime Committee, which he has chaired since April.
