New police HQ's faulty towers leave top cops in the dark

Foul odours, lifts that trap people and lights that switch off at will - it sounds more like faulty towers than the hi-tech buildings expected of the new police headquarters in Wan Chai.

Since moving into the headquarters in August last year, officers have had to deal with constant lift breakdowns, toilets that don't flush and malfunctioning energy-saving motion sensors that plunge meetings into darkness. A police source did not specify which of the buildings experienced the faults.

In one case, a senior officer had to be rescued when the elevator he was in broke down. His identity was not given, but police have officially admitted that the lifts are a problem.

'In the early stages of occupation, there were some problems with the elevators, all of which have been resolved,' said a spokesman.

When asked how long the senior officer was trapped, he replied: 'All lifts are linked to the security control room and monitored on a 24-hour basis. Response can be within two minutes.'

The stress of being trapped in a lift at any moment is compounded by the fact that the toilets are constantly broken - forcing 7,800 people in the buildings to find alternatives when nature calls.

One source said a sign had been hung outside the bathroom doors warning that toilets could stop working at any time and people should look elsewhere.