Hong Kong police chief stresses privacy safeguards for AI-powered CCTV system
Police Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming said officers must seek approval before using the new AI facial-recognition function on SmartView. He stressed privacy safeguards and noted the system has helped solve serious crimes and find missing elderly people.
Police Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming stressed on Sunday that police officers must obtain approval before using SmartView’s new AI facial-recognition function. The feature, which launches Monday, automates video analysis to support police operations.
Speaking on a television programme, Chow said strict checks and balances are in place to prevent misuse. Approval for the AI tool would be granted only when necessary for investigations, he explained. SmartView currently includes CCTV cameras at some shopping malls, and Chow expressed hope that more organisations will join the network once they understand the system’s purpose.
Chow highlighted SmartView’s role in fighting crime, saying it had significantly raised the detection rate for serious offences. He credited the system’s video analysis capabilities with helping solve recent robbery cases, and said it could also aid in the rapid identification of missing elderly individuals with dementia.
The police chief also mentioned a centralised drone-management system announced in the policy address, and plans to install 200 drone docks across the city. The system would connect different drones and allow them to be deployed quickly to support police operations when incidents occur.
On cross-border crime, Chow noted Hong Kong’s participation in INTERPOL’s Silver Notice pilot project, launched in 2025 to track and locate criminal assets. Hong Kong joined the initiative this year. He also referenced FRONTIER+, a cross-border anti-scam platform that will help implement a 24/7 stop-payment mechanism with more than ten partner regions.
The 94th INTERPOL General Assembly will be held in Hong Kong from 30 November. Chow said three years of preparations are coming to an end and expressed confidence that the assembly would be a success. Despite growing geopolitical tensions, regions around the world want to strengthen cross-border police cooperation, he added. As registration for the assembly is still underway, Chow said he expected representatives from all 196 INTERPOL member countries and regions to attend.