18th October 2026 – (Hong Kong) Security Secretary Chris Tang said the police are accelerating technology adoption on both capacity and capability, outlining a plan to expand the number of fixed drone depots from roughly 20 at present to about 200 to achieve full coverage of priority areas. According to Tang, unmanned aircraft have already helped uncover more than 70 criminal cases and 220 traffic offences, and have supported frontline assessments during high‑risk rescue operations such as attempted jump incidents. Authorities are also studying how to link drones with the SmartView closed‑circuit network to complement each system’s functions.
Tang added that under the SmartView programme, the force aims to install around 60,000 CCTV cameras across the city by 2028, with an estimated 6,500 additional units tied to development in the Northern Metropolis. He said parts of the system are piloting artificial‑intelligence‑enabled facial recognition to narrow suspect profiles quickly, a capability he credited with helping to solve a series of robbery cases. The police are advancing discussions to extend coverage into publicly accessible areas of private shopping centres, describing progress as positive and in its final stage.
On cooperation with private operators, Tang noted that not all mall systems can provide round‑the‑clock live feeds, so the force will use a risk‑based approach to prioritise crime hot spots for focused coverage. Addressing privacy, he said government systems are set by default to retain footage for about 30 days, with practical arrangements aligned to each centre’s existing policies and strict adherence to relevant privacy codes.
