Hong Kong’s police takes advantage of 3D printing opportunities to counteract crime. In order to bring criminals to justice, the institution that ensures people’s safety decides to manufacture 3D models of crime scenes that will be used in their investigations.
These models provide a more concrete visualization of the specific situations and environments in which crimes happened. According to the principal inspector Chan Shun-wai, building a model by hand can take a week. This process can now be accelerated using 3D printers. 3D printing provides a more accurate and rapid rendering of the architecture of a particular location. 
In addition to assisting with investigations, models play a crucial role in the courtroom within the briefing support unit. They allow judges to better understand the setting of a crime scene and details of witnesses’ testimony can be easily checked and examined. The unit also builds models used by the Hong Kong counterterrorism team to plan potential scenarios and provide information about incidents.
As 3D printing becomes increasingly accessible, and its use combined with 3D scanning becomes a more plausible option, one can recognize the p
otential for detailed reconstructions of any situation or environment.
Hong Kong’s police sees 3D technology
involvement at work as a daily tool that will also help to keep the streets safe.
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