Police Chief Rejects Ban On 'human Roadblocks'

The Police Commissioner, Stephen Lo, on Friday rejected a call for a total ban on the practice of using civilian cars to form roadblocks, saying it is up to the officer on the ground to assess the risk.

The controversial police tactic, known as 'human roadblocks', had come under criticism following a fatal crash on Fanling Highway in February. Several people were injured and three private vehicles damaged – one of them a write-off – after the speeding car crashed into them. The driver of the speeding car and his fellow passenger died.

At a Legco meeting on Friday, Democratic Party lawmaker James To urged the police chief to promise the force would stop this practice to alleviate public concerns.

But Lo refused to rule it out, saying such a move would raise many doubts on the minds of officers on the ground when tackling a fast-changing situation. He said the officers are professionals who are trained to deal with such events.

"The first important task is to ensure public safety. The officer on the spot should do the assessment. If the assessment tells him that if there is some risk, whatever the level, then the action should stop," the police chief said.