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Police Practice in Hong Kong and New York: A Comparative Analysis

NCJ Number
215059
Journal
International Journal of Police Science & Management Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer 2006 Pages: 104-118
Author(s)
Allan Y. Jiao; Eli B. Silverman
Date Published
2006
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study compared contemporary police practices of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD), in order to gain a better understanding of current policing issues in general.
Abstract
The HKPF, with 51 local divisions, has fewer local police units than the NYPD, which has 76 local precincts. The HKPF has two operational levels between headquarters and local police divisions, while the NYPD has only one, which has caused some to conclude that the HKPF is more tightly centralized than the NYPD. These differences, however, are small compared to the two agencies' similarities. Both agencies have a highly hierarchical, paramilitary structure under which headquarters is responsible for central operations, support functions, and overall management and coordination of the regions and districts. The two departments have only changed significantly when the changes do not conflict with their core values and traditions. Both departments have a professional orientation that views law enforcement as being politically neutral in the major operations of crime control, emergency response, and order maintenance. The HKPF places greater emphasis on public order maintenance than the NYPD, and the NYPD emphasizes crime control. Both agencies have emphasized community relations in recent years, as they recognize that effective police work depends on public support and cooperation. This requires reducing police misconduct and increasing constructive partnerships with community residents and businesses in preventing and responding to crime. Both agencies have invested in training officers in the importance and features of good community relations. Community-oriented policing, however, has been impeded by street officers' embedded belief that fighting crime and enforcing the law are incompatible with being courteous and respectful in their interactions with citizens. 20 references