PJ holds crime simulation drill

The Judiciary Police (PJ) held its annual crisis negotiation exercises yesterday to strengthen its ability to respond effectively to critical incidents.

The exercises simulated a burglary and the resulting crisis and were aimed at enhancing communication, coordination, and response capabilities between the bureau’s Crisis Negotiation Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department.

The exercise, dubbed “Crisis Negotiation Exercise 2024,” took place at the Cheoc Van Youth Hostel in Coloane.

The annual crisis negotiation exercises are part of the PJ’s efforts to optimize its emergency response capabilities.

Suen Kam Fai, the coordinator of the PJ’s Crisis Negotiation Unit, said that by promoting collaboration between the Crisis Negotiation Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department, the PJ aims to ensure a swift and effective response in the event of a critical incident, reducing casualties and property damage.

“Through this exercise, the PJ can further optimize and improve its relevant work processes, promote the collaboration and communication between our crisis negotiation team and the criminal investigation department, and enhance the response capabilities of our criminal investigation personnel when investigating cases and handling certain crisis events,” said Suen.

The exercise began when a villa area administrator informed the Public Relations Department’s Crime Prevention Unit about recent burglaries in the community.

Criminal detectives were dispatched to the area, and during the patrol, they encountered two suspects. One was apprehended, but the other escaped to the rooftop of a nearby villa, where he stood dangerously on the edge, threatening the detectives.

The Crisis Negotiation Unit was then called in to understand the situation and formulate a negotiation strategy. After much persuasion and lobbying, the negotiators were able to convince the suspect to return to a safe place, where he was then handed over to the detectives for further investigation.

The latest exercise, which involved 35 negotiators and detectives, was deemed a success, with the participating units immediately conducting a review to identify areas for further improvement and optimization.

Victoria Chan