Security chief defends $4b 'hyper-compressed' budget for CCTV expansion

Hong Kong Police Force plans to spend HK$4 billion to expand its "SmartView" initiative, which will install closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) in public places with high crime rates and pedestrian flow. 

The proposed budget aims to fund the installation of 60,000 CCTV cameras by 2028, and an additional 6,500 between 2028 and 2031.

Speaking at a Legislative Council committee meeting, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung acknowledged that society may find the HK$4 billion expenditure expensive. 

However, he emphasized that the system is crucial for ensuring the city's safety, and noted that the cost of the cameras themselves only accounts for 1 percent of the total expenditure.

The remaining costs cover the installation of a fiber-optic network, the development of a video management system, and the creation of an AI-powered analytical toolbox.

Tang described himself as a “pragmatic person,” stressing that the budget was calculated in a "hyper-compressed" manner.

He assured lawmakers that the HK$4 billion figure was a final, meticulously calculated budget with no room for reductions, and not a preliminary figure designed to be negotiated down.