Transformation of Macau Policing - From the Territory under Portuguese Administration to China’s SAR
Abstract:
The presentation will examine policing in Macau and identify major forces that have shaped its transformation over past decades. Prior to 1999, Macau was under Portuguese administration and its policing system was characterized by three key features: two independent forces; non-local commandership and limited level of policing capacity. Citizens were generally skeptical to the police forces and doubted their capability and reliability. After Macau returned to China, the de-monopolization of the gaming industries brought huge GDP growth but generated internal social conflict. Growing public demand for accountable governance motivated a series of governmental reforms, some of which have extended to policing. These reforms have improved the transparency of policing, but it remains to be seen if they will ultimately succeed in generating public trust in the police forces.
Speaker:
Lawrence HO researches public policy, criminal justice, policing, and public order management. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences at the Education University of Hong Kong and an Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Criminology at the University of Hong Kong. Lawrence got his MPhil in Politics & PhD in Sociology in the University of Hong Kong. He joined the EdUHK in 2012.