CCTV to stop drugs in schools

Surveillance cameras installed by schools to deter or catch burglars are being used as a new weapon in the war on drugs in the New Territories North, according to police.

The move was announced yesterday, three months after four schoolgirls aged 13 and 14 were arrested for taking ketamine at Fanling Government Secondary School. A male student was arrested for allegedly supplying the illegal drug.

Senior Superintendent Evelyn Lam Man-sai of the Narcotics Bureau said the installation of closed-circuit television systems would both monitor drug activities and have a deterrent effect.

Schools that find their pupils are involved in any illegal activities can then choose to call in the police.

Ms Lam said: 'If the CCTV system monitors them, they will not abuse drugs there.'

She stressed that police would not tolerate students being involved in drug-related offences such as trafficking, possession or using.

'They break the law. Of course, they will be arrested.'

Emphasising that the move was part of measures to crack down on drug abuse at schools, Chief Inspector Patrick Lam Ping-yun of New Territories North said police had also asked teachers to carry out more inspections during recesses to check areas the cameras could not cover.

The scheme was initiated by the New Territories North police in December last year.

Police have discussed the idea with more than 320 primary and secondary schools in the regions. Most had agreed to the idea.

Ms Lam advised those schools that were already monitoring their students through CCTV to upgrade their systems, install more cameras and cover more areas.

She said the measures would be promoted in other districts if necessary.

She also revealed that the number of police-school liaison officers would be increased to 94 later this year, from the current 58.

Police hope that this will enhance communication and co-operation with schools, encouraging them to report cases of drug abuse.

Ms Lam said some schools believed that police visits and the drug abuse publicity campaign would harm their reputations.

Police suspect drug abusers have switched to schools and private parties to indulge after a crackdown on entertainment premises.

During the summer holidays in July and August, police arrested 285 people under the age of 21 in connection with drug-related offences. Twenty-two of them were under the age of 16.

Increasing problem

Last year police arrested 1,048 suspects under the age of 21 for drug-related offences

Number of suspects under the age of 21 arrested in the first eight months of this year: 1,078