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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3026530/hong-kong-police-get-green-light-carry-extendable-batons Politics
Hong Kong police get green light to carry extendable batons while off-duty following recent knife attack on officer
- Night sticks will be issued to execute ‘constabulary duties’ rather than for self-defence, says internal memo
- Officers must identify themselves as police if possible before using them, and make a report to superiors afterwards
Police push protesters away after a march against parallel trading by mainland Chinese visitors in Sheung Shui on July 13. Photo: Felix Wong
Hong Kong police officers have received top-level approval to carry extendable batons during off-hours to execute “constabulary duties”.
The approval was given after the force examined the possibility of issuing handguns to officers following a recent knife attack on an off-duty policeman and online threats, including calls for attacks against them.
The Post was told the 31,000-strong force dropped the handguns plan because “there aren’t enough guns for both on- and off-duty officers”.
Top brass insisted retractable batons be given to those who requested them, and that their purpose was not self-defence.
“It’s for exercising their constabulary duties if the situation requires them to do so,” a force insider said.
An internal memo, dated Monday night, stated that officers could carry batons after handing in their usual beat gear before going off duty.
While the memo did not mention the doxxing of officers, another source said priority when issuing batons would be given to those whose personal information – or whose family’s information – had been leaked and posted online, and to riot police.
The memo said: “To tie in with operational needs for Operation Tiderider, blanket approval is now given by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Support [Rebecca Lam Hiu-tong] to allow police officers to be issued with an extendable baton for the purpose of executing constabulary duties while off-duty.”
Riot police are among those who will be given priority when extendable batons are issued to off-duty officers. Photo: Felix Wong
Tiderider is the code name for the operation dealing with the current anti-government protests.
Thousands of extendable batons will be handed out to officers at various police stations on Tuesday afternoon.
The memo said that the use of the baton, whether on- or off-duty, was regarded as use of force under the Police General Orders.
“Officers shall display self-discipline and exercise a high degree of restraint when dealing with the public and shall not resort to the use of force unless such action is strictly necessary,” the memo read.
It also stated that officers, when using their batons, should identify themselves as police and give warning and an opportunity for a subject to obey, if possible.
“Only the minimum force necessary to achieve the purpose may be used and once that purpose has been achieved, the use of such force should cease,” the memo read.
Riot police arrest a woman outside a shopping mall in Tung Chung on Saturday. Photo: Felix Wong
Officers who use the baton during off-hours should also make a report to their supervisors.
The arrangement will be reviewed in a month’s time.
Criminal investigation detectives already get their own personal-issue firearms and retractable batons. Officers from uniformed branches do not, and must return the weapons and gear at barracks before going off-duty.
A senior officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an off-duty officer carrying a baton in the current civil unrest could be easily identified by anyone with a grudge against police and become a target for attack.
Special Tactical Squad police in a stand-off with anti-government protesters in Prince Edward on Saturday. Photo: Edmond So
“Furthermore, a baton is not good enough to defend against attacks by long and sharpened metal rods,” he said.
Police confirmed the new arrangement at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, saying officers would have to follow guidelines in using them.
Asked if the force would have a hard time tracking baton use, Senior Superintendent Wong Wai-shun said such acts would not go unnoticed.
“If they take it out in a public place, I believe people will see it,” Wong said.
Icarus Wong Ho-yin of Civil Rights Observer, a monitoring group, questioned whether police could effectively keep track of the batons’ use during off-hours.
It would be hard for management to keep track as no ammunition was involved, Wong said.
“If the police can’t monitor it well, then abusive acts will happen.”
Wong noted that the Police General Orders stipulated officers must display their warrant cards when carrying out duties, but many on the front lines of protests had been seen failing to adhere to this.
“Even if civilians complain, can they track down those officers? I have doubts about that,” Wong said.