The Role of Hong Kong Police in Law Enforcement and their Duties Towards Sexual Minorities

Abstract

There are a number of very sensitive contexts in which the role of the police and their law enforcement duties becomes critical and the LGBT community hopes for sensitivity, respect and most importantly, protection of basic rights. This presentation focuses a few of these areas that have been of predominant concern among the community. These include situations involving Domestic violence among cohabiting same-sex couples, Sexual Assault / Violence involving LGBT victims, the use of the Public Order Ordinance recently involving the IDAHO parade and police conduct, and finally, the exercise of Stop and Search Powers including Powers of Arrest, Questioning of Witnesses and Suspects and Detention Facilities for the LGBT community. The presentation ends with suggestions on what the Police force can do to improve relations with the public and to address such sensitivities more effectively.