Hong Kong police primed to support future tourism and mega-event ambitions

South China Morning Post

5 days ago

Hong Kong's police chief has said that the force is fully prepared to support the hosting of more mega-events in the city, given its experience of crowd control gained at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium.
Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said their preparations for the opening of the main stadium in Kai Tak Sports Park had equipped officers to manage a greater number of major events, emphasising the force's commitment to spectator satisfaction.
'Every time after the events or before the events, we've seen a lot of smiley faces. This is what we really treasure,' Chow told the Post.
Before becoming police chief, Chow served as deputy commissioner for operations and was a member of an interdepartmental task force responsible for the smooth operation of Kai Tak Sports Park. He organised various drill exercises to simulate crowd control and traffic conditions in the lead-up to its March opening.
Beyond backing the government's initiative to host more mega-events, the police chief also expressed support for increasing public access to the force's old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, which has become a popular photo opportunity for mainland Chinese tourists.
The station, housed in a colonial building, is one of the government's nine 'hotspot projects' aimed at boosting in-depth tourism in Hong Kong.