#PoliceState #PoliceBrutality
Police Darken Glass on Vehicle, Fear Over Further Loss of Rights of Arrestees

Some netizens found that the police recently introduced a new type of police car with black glass in the center and rear windows.

The police confirmed that the designed police car is in the approval stage. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) will ensure that the vehicle is suitable for driving on the road before it is delivered to the police.

Some in the automobile industry said that tinted glass can reduce the amount of air-conditioning, but human rights organizations said some arrested persons claimed that they were beaten in police cars in the past. They worry that darkening the police car glass would lead to further loss of the rights of the arrestees.

The police said it was being approved; Group: Many complained about being beaten in a police car

Recently, some netizens uploaded pictures on Facebook, showing that the middle and rear glass of a police car were black, different from the common transparent glass. Last week, the newspaper asked the police if tinted glass was being phased onto police vehicles.

The police responded last night to confirm that the police car in the photos circulating on the Internet is still in the approval stage and has not been delivered to the police. The police said that all vehicles of the Police Force were purchased, inspected, repaired, and maintained by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD). The Department will refer to the requirements of the Transport Department to confirm that the vehicles are suitable for driving on the road before delivering them to the Police Force.

The police have not provided explanations regarding how many police cars will use black glass and why they made the switch.

Promote consultation with the Legislative Council first

Human Rights Watch spokeswoman Ms. Claudia Yip said that there have been complaints about being beaten in police cars, such as the case of social activist Chow Nok Hang. In many cases, the police will pull the curtains or turn off the lights so that people outside the car cannot observe inside. There were no witnesses in the car, making it impossible for the victims who complained of being beaten in the police car to follow up with investigations. Yip believes that blackening the glass may cause even more complaints, and that the police should first consult the IPCC and the Legislative Council.

Yip also said that the Coroner’s Court had recommended that the police install CCTV in police cars. The IPCC also supported the proposal, but the police did not follow up and instead, turned the window glass to black. This is a "big step backwards" for transparency and accountability of the police force.

According to the "Road Traffic (Vehicle Construction and Maintenance) Regulations" and the regulations of the Transport Department, the minimum light transmittance of a car windshield is 70%, and that of a rear window glass is 44%.

Lee Yiu-pui, President of the Automobile Industry Association, said that the relevant regulations do not apply to police cars. As for private cars, many are manufactured with tinted glass to block direct sunlight and reduce air conditioning costs; however, the rear glass must not be too dark, because the drivers must look through the car’s rear glass to check for “blind spots".

Source: MingPao #May5

Further reading:
Protesters were violently abused and humiliated by Hong Kong Correctional Services Department staff during detention
https://publielectoral.lat/s/guardiansofhongkong/20614
Policing and accountability: the working of police authorities
https://bit.ly/2SI9diB
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 5 to 9
https://bit.ly/3cbCnyq

#PoliceVehicle #ArresteesRights