Police & Crime
A Comparison Between the UK and Hong Kong
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Crime Categories - UK
There are 14 categories of crime listed on the official UK police website. This includes theft from the person, burglary, robbery, shoplifting, drugs, and violence and sexual offences. There are also specific categories for anti-social behaviours, which consists of personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour, bicycle theft, criminal damage and arson, public order (offences which cause fear, alarm or distress), vehicle crime, and possession of weapons.
Crime Categories - HK
The major crime categories in Hong Kong include thefts and deception, which accounted for 55% of the city’s overall crime. This may have to do with the business-dominated nature of Hong Kong society. The violent crime rate stands at 0.125%, which assures many visitors to Hong Kong, who feel safe walking on streets at night.
Crime Rate - York
The figures reveal a stark difference of crime rates between York and Hong Kong. Being voted the 6th safest cities in the UK, York’s crime figures should be able to assure its visitors. On average, York Inner, the policing area that covers almost 200,000 residents in the City of York，records around 300 crimes every month. The most popular type of crime is anti-social behaviour, which includes noisiness, graffiti and alcohol-induced incidents. No wonder it is regarded as one of the safest cities across the UK.
Crime Rate - Hong Kong
According to the Hong Kong Police Force, the overall crime rate in 2020 is 0.842% (842 crimes per 100,000 population), with around 5,100 crimes every month and this number is among the lowest in the world. While some worry that the overall crime rate in Hong Kong has been slowly rising since 2018, Hong Kong is still considered a very safe city in a global scale.
Public Perception of Police - York
The public perception of the York Inner Police varies among generations. It seems that the younger generation generally has less respect for the police, and young people are more likely to be involved in heated verbal arguments with the Police. Our interviewee, a resident of York, describes she has a good impression of the Police, and as far as she observes, the Police got along well with the community. Also, as there are no notable public incidents in York in recent years, mass conflicts with the police were almost unheard of. That may explain why the York Police has maintained a good relationship with the residents.
Public Perception of Police - Hong Kong
2005 WTO Protest
2005 WTO Protest
Hong Kong has been considered “one of the safest and most stable societies in the world”. This statement is fully justified by the fact that Hong Kong has one of the lowest crime rates by a global standard. In fact, the Hong Kong Police was made internationally famous in 2004, when the World Trade Organization held its annual meeting in Hong Kong. That year, a group of peasants from South Korea staged a protest, which soon evolved into a violent clash with the Police. The Police controlled the scene with restraint, which earned the security force a good reputation around the world.
2019 Protest
2019 Protest
However, in 2019, there were widespread protests in Hong Kong, and the clashes between protestors and the Police led to a degrading reputation of the security force. The way the Police dealt with protestors and their impartiality have been questioned, but at the same time, supporters for the Police praise their performance as restrained and professional. All in all, the public perception of the Hong Kong Police Force is rather polarised nowadays, and becomes a point of contention between generations.
Suggestions for international students visiting the UK
The level of crime and types of crime may differ to those in your home country or even town/city. It is important that you have some awareness of the situation in the UK, particularly in certain areas in the country. Having the right expectations can keep you and your possessions safe whilst you are travelling or when you are here for a bit longer during your exchange. Here are some suggestions for people visiting the UK:
Don’t stay out too late at night, especially if you are walking.
Even if you are a party animal, remember that you are in an unfamiliar country. Fewer people are around and most places are closed, so that means it’s darker, it will be more difficult to get help but also fewer people are witnesses if something bad happens.
Don’t wander around alone at night.
Be sure to have someone you know with you. This way, you are less likely to be a target for a robbery or other crimes.
Some places should be avoided
Train stations should be avoided late at night, as well as alleyways and places that are not well-lit (not a lot of lights).
Dress appropriately
Don’t hang all your jewelry on your neck, or on your wrists for that matter; at least don’t make it too visible. This is because if your ethnicity is different to the locals, you may stand out as a “tourist” and become a target. Don’t wear lots of expensive things to avoid being a target.
Knife crimes
Knife crimes occur sometimes because people may carry them if they are walking around or what to rob someone. Be careful and don’t try to fight it. Stick to some of the suggestions above and you probably won’t have to worry about this.
These are only some suggestions when you are in the UK, especially if you are in urban areas where crime might be higher than the countryside. The UK is relatively safe in general for tourists but it is crucial that you are made aware and that you do the best you can to avoid situations where you may become a target.
Lastly...
TV and Film
Police and crime is a popular theme in television and movies. The genre and content can sometimes depict the public perception of those who are represented in the shows and films. For example, Happy Valley, a British crime drama set in West Yorkshire, or Unforgotten, a television series that follows two detectives as they try to solve cold cases from the past, both depict a more serious tone on police work, whilst The Thin Blue Line, a sit-com starring Rowan Atkinson (more popularly known as Mr. Bean) takes on a comic approach to the duties of the uniformed officers. Anyhow, they make for good media entertainment. Here are a few notable British crime television programs and movies:
Luther
Luther
... starring Idris Elba, talks about a passionate detective who solves cases together with a psychopath and murderer that was not successfully arrested from a lack of evidence. It is categorised as a British psychological crime drama that ran for 5 seasons.
The Bill
The Bill
... is one of the longest running police television series that began in the 80s. The show follows the main characters as they go about doing police work around East London and attempts to depict the reality in this line of work.
Line of Duty
Line of Duty
... is another British police procedural television series that follows a detective sergeant who has been transferred to an anti-corruption unit within the police force. The well-written story arc and popularity among viewers (best-performing drama series from BBC2) has earned its mention on this list.
Sherlock
Sherlock
... revolves around the modern day Sherlock Holmes, who is a detective consultant and not an actual police officer, but we just couldn't leave this hugely popular show off the list. There are many occasions when the police are involved and one wonders how they are portrayed …
Bodyguard
Bodyguard
... a police political-thriller, tells the fictional story of a war veteran who is assigned to protect one of the most controversial politicians and is torn between his own beliefs and his duty to serve.
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Hot Fuzz (2007)
... had to be included because it stands out from the previously-mentioned dramas. It is an action comedy film that centres around two officers who need to investigate a string of gruesome deaths in a remote village. British humour, clever editing and comedic camera shots; this movie is both funny and action-packed.
These TV shows and movies play a role in creating a public image of the police, but also brings to light some of the unspoken challenges and problems that they may deal with every day. Although most storylines are fictional, they represent a piece of the reality working in law enforcement.
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