'Arrest of officer has damaged police image'

'Arrest of officer has damaged police image'

Chris Tang

Police chief Chris Tang acknowledged on Saturday that the force's image had been affected by the arrest of an officer accused of damaging the property of a group of homeless people in Sham Shui Po.



The officer was one of seven plain-clothes officers involved in an anti-drugs operation in Tung Chau Street Park on February 24. In addition to the property damage, the rough-sleepers have alleged the officers assaulted them.



Speaking after an RTHK programme, Tang did not rule out more arrests would be made.



"Regarding other allegations, or allegations against other police officers, we are in the course of investigation," he said. "If the investigation indicated that there's any evidence against any other persons, for any other offence, we will take appropriate arrest action."



The incident was brought to light by members of the Tung Chau Street Sleepers Concern Group. Led by Father Franco Mella, they say the officer destroyed a chair and canned goods, and, in at least one case, stepped on a person.



The police said on March 4 that they were "highly concerned" about the incident, and had reported their own officers to the West Kowloon Regional Crime Squad. One officer was suspended with immediate effect.



The officer was then arrested on March 7.



Meanwhile, the police commissioner also reiterated that it's appropriate for a police officer who drove his motorbike through a crowd of anti-government protesters in November last year to return to work – even though a disciplinary review hasn't yet been completed.



The officer was suspended from duty after video showed him repeatedly driving his motorbike into the protesters on Hing Fong Road in Kwai Fong on the morning of November 11.



At the time, the force said the officer was trying to come to the aid of his colleagues, and was trying to "separate rioters and the police officers", and during this process he was attacked with a hammer.



Tang said letting the officer go back to work would not harm public safety.



"We are doing a discipline review regarding that case, so it hasn't been concluded," Tang said. "If there's any indication of any wrongdoing, we will take appropriate action."