Doubts over plain-clothes police combating taxi infractions

The Third Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly (AL) continued discussing the region’s taxi operation bill, with the committee hoping that the government can explain matters which concern police officers in plain-clothes.

Regarding whether the newest taxi operation regime implies sting operations, the chairman of the AL’s Third Standing Committee, Wong Hin Fai, said “we are unable to make a judgment.”

According to Wong, many members of the committee could not find any indication of sting operations from interpreting the law, and therefore require clarification from the government.

Wong noted that the committee could not make a statement on the definition expressed in the text of the current law, which addresses police officers in plain-clothes carrying out operations to combat taxi infractions.

He further noted that during the law’s public consultation period, society also had two opposing stances: one against the policy and the other supporting it.

The law stipulates that when a police officer in plain-clothes is injured by a member of the public, the assault should be regarded as having been made upon a government authority.

“What does the law [article] protect? Does it protect the person involved? Does it protect the legislative purpose? Or does it protect the public interest? What does this article mean?” asked Wong.