Police and the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to drive digital policing and nurture innovation and technology (I&T) talent.

The force and the HKSTP will collaborate on the application of innovative solutions over the next three years across five areas, including Natural Language Processing (NLP), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Simultaneous Localisation & Mapping (SLAM), Augmented Reality (AR), and search and rescue operations-related technology.

Tech ventures can test their new tailor-made solutions for the force in real-life operating environments and adopt data validation via the HKSTP’s STP platform.

Both parties hope that the collaboration can drive more organisations to adopt I&T and co-incubate potential tech ventures as well as improve service levels provided to the community.

Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong witnessed the signing of the MoU.

In his opening remarks, Prof Sun thanked the force and the HKSTP for their commitment and effort in promoting I&T development, adding that he looked forward to seeing more collaboration between government departments and the I&T sector to further promote smart city and I&T development in Hong Kong.

Commissioner of Police Siu Chak-yee noted in his opening speech that Police, being the Government's largest department, had long been supportive of its initiative to build Hong Kong into an international I&T hub.

To drive I&T development, the force not only promotes a culture that encourages innovation and proactively nurtures I&T proficiency but also co-operates with the industry and academia to create a vibrant I&T ecosystem with high-performance software and hardware support so that a win-win situation can be achieved through joint collaboration, he added.