"As an organisation, we need to do well in three dimensions of policing in order to excel, namely learning from the past, focusing on the present and preparing for the future," said Commissioner Lo Wai-chung in his opening address to officers at Senior Superintendent and above ranks at a briefing session on the Strategic Directions (SDs) and Strategic Action Plan (SAP) 2016-2018 on March 8.

"We have been quite successful in policing in recent years, particularly last year when we saw a decrease in the overall crime figures, but the challenge we face now is to sustain such performance in an ever changing and more challenging policing landscape when the pace of change can only get faster and the expectations of the public become ever more demanding," he added.

The Commissioner explained, "In order to consistently deliver a first-class policing service, it is crucial for us to plan for the future. That is why we are here today so that the Senior Directorate Group (SDG) and I can introduce the SDs and the SAP, which represent our strategic goals for the coming three years."

He pointed out that a decision had been taken to retain the four SDs from the previous cycles, as they remain relevant to the environment in which the Force is operating. They are:

SD1 - Engaging the Community.

SD2 - Enhancing Personal and Professional Qualities of Force Members.

SD3 - Enhancing Criminal Intelligence Gathering Force-wide.

SD4 - Supporting Frontline Units.

Following Mr Lo's address, Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Wong Chi-hung and Deputy Commissioner (Management) Chau Kwok-leung briefed the audience on the Operational Guiding Principles and Management Guiding Principles. Thereafter the floor was handed over to the Programme Directors, each of whom explained in detail the rationale of the Key Projects that will be implemented under the SDs.

In conclusion, Mr Lo focused on the development of Action Plans and pointed out, "Action Plans enable commanders to articulate what is important for effective local policing by bringing together the operational and managerial priorities under a single unifying document. Action Plans should contain activities that address key local policing issues, plus relevant aspects of the Commissioner's Operational Priorities, SDs and SAP, so as to add substantive value to the services you are providing."