Our Reference: L/M (14) in ImmD CIC/6-5/10 (R) Pt.7

Dear H. Y. Fung,

Our department has received your application for access to information on
20.12.2022. Your application is now under processing. According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before
09.01.2023.

If you have any enquiry, please contact the undersigned via this email.

Best regards,

NG Hon-sum
for Director of Immigration

Our Reference: L/M (14) in ImmD CIC/6-5/10 (R) Pt.7

Dear H. Y. Fung,

Further to our interim reply on 29.12.2022, I am writing to inform you
that your application for Access to Information is still under processing,
as more time is required to gather and consolidate the information
requested in your application (if any). According to paragraph 1.18 of the
Code on Access to Information, our department will inform you of the
latest progress of the case separately on or before 08.02.2023.

Should you have any enquiries, please contact the undersigned via this
email.

Best Regards,

CHEUNG Kai-ho
for Director of Immigration

Our Reference: L/M (14) in ImmD CIC/6-5/10 (R) Pt.7

Dear H.Y. Fung,

I refer to your request for access to information on 20 December 2022 and
our interim replies to you on 29 December 2022 and 9 January 2023.  I
hereby provide you with the following information.
(1) and (2)

The number of cases of physical confrontation involving detainees at the
Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre (“CIC”) from 2020 to 2022 by nature of
the cases is tabulated as follows:

Year Detainee-on-detainee assaults Detainee-on-staff assaults Total
2020 25 0 25
2021 25 3 28
2022 17 1 18

(3)        The number of detainees who were injured in the
detainee-on-detainee and detainee-on-staff assaults at CIC from 2020 to
2022 is as follows:

Year No. of detainees who were injured at CIC
Detainee-on-detainee assaults Detainee-on-staff assaults Total
2020 29 0 29
2021 32 0 32
2022 13 0 13

(4)        The number of CIC officers who were injured in the
detainee-on-detainee and detainee-on-staff assaults at CIC from 2020 to
2022 is as follows:

Year No. of CIC officers who were injured at CIC
Detainee-on-detainee assaults Detainee-on-staff assaults Total
2020 6 0 6
2021 5 5 10
2022 0 0 0

(5) and (6)
According to departmental guidelines, in the event of a special incident
(such as a physical confrontation incident involving detainee(s)) at the
CIC, duty officers will first assess the urgency and severity of the
incident having regard to the actual circumstances at that time, and then
use appropriate and necessary force to prevent deterioration of the
incident and ensure the safety of the detainees and staff. Moreover, where
the situation permits, duty officers will give a warning to the
attacker(s) prior to the use of force to allow the attacker(s) to stop the
aggressive behaviour and obey the orders. Duty officers will use force
only if the attacker(s) continue with the aggressive behaviour and do not
obey the orders. The Immigration Department does not maintain the
statistics mentioned in the question.
(7)
When carrying out regular duties such as custodial and escort duties and
the handling of physical confrontations, staff of the CIC will handle the
situations by means of verbal instructions/orders or empty-hand control as
appropriate. Staff of the CIC had used pepper spray in 2020 and 2021 for
dealing with cases of physical confrontation involving detainees. Although
they are equipped with other anti-riot equipment (including 37 mm single
shot launchers, pepper ball launchers and anti-riot grenades), such
equipment has never been used.

(8)        The number of times oleoresin capsicum foam (i.e. pepper spray)
deployed for handling physical confrontations at CIC from 2020 to 2022 is
as follows:

Year The number of times oleoresin capsicum foam (i.e. pepper spray)
deployed for handling physical confrontations at CIC
2020 4
2021 3
2022 0

I hope the information is useful to you.

Best Regards,

CHEUNG Kai-ho
for Director of Immigration