Deep Dive: How Hong Kong police use surveillance cameras for traffic management, crime prevention

Hong Kong police have installed surveillance cameras in Kwun Tong as part of a new real-time traffic management system.

The artificial intelligence (AI) system incorporates data from the Transport Department. It will monitor traffic in the area and make suggestions for traffic light adjustments.

The force said the system would only be used for traffic management. It would not feature facial recognition.

The pilot project is called the Smart Traffic Management System. It will launch in the third quarter of this year after receiving HK$6.8 million (US$874,900) in funding from a programme under the Innovation and Technology Bureau.

Eleven sets of cameras were set up across nine main streets in the commercial area of Kwun Tong, including Shing Yip Street and Hoi Yuen Road.

“The system is designed to focus on traffic data rather than capturing information about residents,” Chief Inspector Yu Shing-lam of the Kwun Tong police district said.

He said the data collected by the system would be deleted within 28 days.

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Other related data, such as traffic flow information from the Transport Department, will be integrated into the system. It could help monitor traffic and manage traffic lights. It could also help police deploy manpower to incidents more quickly.

Yu said that if the system results were positive, authorities would consider extending it to other areas.

The development of the system started last April with help from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Ng Ka-fai is a senior research engineer at the university’s department of civil and environmental engineering. He said the system could collect and analyse data and alert users when accidents happen.

“The system also allows users to look back at the recorded previous road conditions,” he said. It would also use different colours to indicate areas with heavy traffic.

Police held a launch ceremony for the system and said final adjustments needed to be made before its application.

The first Smart Traffic Management System 1.0 was released in 2023.

It was a less advanced version that manually collected traffic data. It also employed scientific methods to develop strategies aimed at reducing manpower requirements.

Staff writers

1. According to News, which of the following are true?

(1) The traffic management system will include facial recognition.
(2) Information collected by the traffic management system will be deleted in 28 days.
(3) The Smart Traffic Management System will be launched in 2025.
(4) Twelve sets of cameras were set up across six main streets in Kwun Tong.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (3) only
C. (2), (3) only
D. (3), (4) only

2. Using News, list TWO ways the Smart Traffic Management System could benefit commuters, police, and the Transport Department.

3. What is ONE potential concern about this technology? How has the Transport Department addressed this worry?

1. What is being shown in this photo?

2. Using the information in News, how could AI traffic-management technology help this situation?

• Secretary for Security Chris Tang did not rule out the possibility of using the cameras for counterterrorism efforts

• Cameras in Lan Kwai Fong could assist in crowd control efforts, police say

Hong Kong police installed more than 500 surveillance cameras across the city from March to October last year, with the security chief saying they might be used for counterterrorism purposes.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the city is using surveillance cameras and other new technologies to combat crime. He would not exclude the idea of using them for counterterrorism efforts.

“We are rolling out these surveillance cameras to prevent and eliminate crime, and we’ll use them when there is crime. Terrorist acts are a form of crime,” he said.

He said footage would be deleted after 30 days if it was not linked to an active investigation.

Acting Superintendent Fung Chun-pang of the force’s operations wing said the newly installed cameras had helped solve dozens of cases, including a murder, several robberies and incidents involving triad members possessing imitation firearms.

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At least 50 of the 504 cameras were placed around the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife hub in Central.

Fung said these cameras provided real-time footage from multiple angles that was instantly transmitted to the nearby police district command centre. This means it could be used for crowd control measures.

“This enables police to monitor the situation on the ground and assist in devising appropriate crowd management strategies,” he said.

Police have been installing surveillance cameras in crime hotspots and densely populated zones.

The government previously ­pledged to install 2,000 to 2,500 annually from 2025.

Cameras in Mong Kok helped police identify two men from mainland China who allegedly installed a card reader and a false keypad with a wireless transmitter at an ATM last May.

Meanwhile, footage captured by cameras in Western district led officers to identify and arrest a 54-year-old man who allegedly broke into a money exchange last August.

In the first nine months of 2024, Hong Kong recorded 70,015 incidents of crime, a 4.8 per cent rise from the same period last year, with an increase in scams and blackmail.

The number of scam cases rose to 32,120 between January and September, increasing by 8.3 per cent over the same period the previous year. More than 60 per cent of the cases were online.

Staff writers

1. According to Issue, which of the following are true?

(1) More than 500 cameras were installed around Hong Kong between March to October 2024.
(2) Police have pledged to install 3,000 cameras annually moving forward.
(3) Between January and September last year, more than 60 per cent of scam cases took place online.
(4) Police installed around 25 cameras in Hong Kong’s party district.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (3) only
C. (3), (4) only
D. (2), (4) only

2. Using the information presented in Issue, name TWO instances in which surveillance cameras helped police solve a crime.

3. In addition to crime prevention, name ONE other way the cameras could protect people, according to the police.

1. What might the artist be trying to say about surveillance cameras in the cartoon?

2. Using the information in Issue and Glossary, list ONE reason why you think the police have chosen to install more surveillance cameras.

surveillance camera: video cameras used to observe or monitor an area. They are often connected to a recording device or the internet and may be watched by a security guard or law enforcement officer.

facial recognition: technology that can match and identify a person’s face from a digital image or a video frame using a database of faces. It may be used by law enforcement, the military, or even in airports. It is also used to unlock your phone.

Innovation and Technology Bureau: the department of the Hong Kong government responsible for creating policies to develop the city’s technology sector and encourage innovation.

counterterrorism: political or military activities designed to prevent or block terrorism. Measures could include surveillance, military operations, intelligence gathering and more.

blackmail: a crime in which someone threatens to expose personal or damaging information about another person unless they meet the criminal’s demands, such as giving them money

1. C

2. The Smart Traffic Management System will benefit commuters by alerting them about possible accidents and keeping them up to date on traffic flow. The system will allow police to monitor the traffic and traffic lights and quickly respond to accidents. Finally, this system can help the Transportation Department adjust lights to help traffic flow. It could also help the force interpret and capture data on traffic more easily. (accept all reasonable answers)

3. Some people worry this AI traffic system may collect their personal information. In response, the Transportation Department said the system would only look at traffic and not use facial recognition. Additionally, the system will delete the information it has collected after 28 days.

1. This photo shows cars going in and out of the cross-harbour tunnel. The cars on the left are stuck in a traffic jam and moving slowly, while traffic on the right is flowing.

2. If cameras were placed in the area, traffic management technology could inform drivers of a traffic jam around the cross-harbour tunnel, which may prompt them to leave a bit earlier or take a different route. Additionally, this technology would alert authorities of the jam, and they could monitor the situation to ensure there were no accidents. (accept all reasonable answers)

1. B

2. According to Issue, police identified two men from mainland China who tried to steal information from people through false card readers and keypads on an ATM. Additionally, the cameras helped police track down a man who broke into a money exchange in Western district.

3. Police have installed cameras in the party district Lan Kwai Fong. This could prevent crime and help keep track of the number of people at events like Halloween to control the crowds and ensure safety. Given the risk of crowd crushes with large groups of people, this will allow police to monitor large gatherings more effectively and prevent tragedy. (accept all reasonable answers)

1. This artist is emphasising the privacy risk of surveillance cameras. The man is sitting in a “private” area, but the word private has been crossed out, with “public” written above it. This shows how, with these cameras, everything we do has the potential to be recorded, meaning our private lives are no longer private.

2. According to Issue, crime increased by nearly five per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year, with a notable rise in scams and blackmail. This would prompt the police to take stricter measures to stop crime. Additionally, the police want to use AI technology because it is becoming more prevalent and powerful. (accept all reasonable answers)