All frontline police officers will be equipped with pepper spray cans by the end of this month, Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak has announced.
Wong made the remarks on Wednesday on the sidelines of a public function, according to a statement by the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS).
Macau’s top security official made the announcement when asked by the media about the recent incident in which a Public Security Police (PSP) officer fired a warning shot when attacked by three men in a no smoking area outside Galaxy Macau.
The officer had repeatedly told the trio to stop smoking in the area, but to no avail. The three suspects were arrested by fellow police officers who had rushed to the scene to assist their colleague, who sustained minor injuries in the incident, in subduing the three mainlanders.
Wong said that the officer had meanwhile returned to normal duty following a psychological assessment.
Wong also said that in the wake of the warning shot incident the acquisition of pepper spray cans had been speeded up so that all frontline police officer can be equipped with the self defence tool by the end of the month.
He also said that officers of the Police Tactical Intervention Unit (UTIP) would assist in training their colleagues from other police units in the use of pepper spray.
According to media reports earlier this month, some police officers from certain units have been equipped with pepper spray cans for quite some time.
