Public Security Forces of Macao
The Public Security Forces of Macao is Macau's public security body under the Secretariat for Security, responsible for handling government activities ranging from law enforcement to public safety.
History
In 1975, the Macau Security Force was created to take the place of the Macau Independent Territorial Command, which was in charge of Portuguese military forces involved in the colony's national security. Portuguese military involvement ended in 1995 and was replaced by Macanese officers recruited to the MSF.On December 20, 1999, the various police force branches of Macau, under the jurisdiction of Security and Justice departments were assigned to the MSF, under the supervision of the secretary of security. At the time of the handover of Macau to the People's Republic of China, plans were in place to modernize the police force with the goal of better positioning the force to combat organized crime and to stop illegal immigration.
On October 15, 2019, the MSF's Discipline Supervision Committee was given the power to investigate complaints made towards anyone working under the MSF.
In the midst of the 2021 COVID-19 pandemic, Macao saw a 26.1% increase in overall crime, with the number of cyber-fraud cases increasing by almost 50%. As a result, it was announced that the MSF will continue to improve their "smart policing" and work more closely with security forces in nearby regions.