Police Say They Are Improving San Uk Ling Centre

Police said on Tuesday that they are improving the facilities at the San Uk Ling Holding Centre, but have no plans to use it again to detain anti-government protesters.

Arrested protesters who were taken to the centre last summer complained of mistreatment, saying they were delayed from consulting lawyers and receiving medical help.

The police watchdog’s recent report on the unrest also flagged up a lack of facilities and manpower at the detention centre, which is located near the border with the mainland.

Border district commander Fung Siu-lan, who briefed the media during a tour to the facility, admitted that the remote site is not perfect, and agreed with suggestions for improvements made by the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC).

She said CCTV has been installed for the first time at the site which can hold up to 200 detainees at one time.

But the eight cameras put up in October only overlook areas outside. Five of them film corridors outside the detention camps, while three monitor the exterior of the centre.

Fung said more cameras will be installed in corridors inside the detention camps later on.

The commander also said that police will try to use a computer system in future to avoid having incomplete written records on detainees.

The IPCC had noted that records on some of the protesters held at San UK Ling were missing.

"We have already extended the broadband width," Fung said. "So the computer system should work better than before."

Asked why some injured arrested protesters had to wait for hours to see a doctor last summer, Fung replied that on August 11 some 30 detainees had requested medical help.

She said the situation was comparable to "a big traffic accident" and police had to arrange treatment for the more seriously hurt first.