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Police and the press a team
 CSP PR Charles Wong |
Good relations with the press and public are paramount to good policing, according to new Chief Superintendent (Public Relations) Charles Wong Doon-yee.
Mr Wong took over the post on January 18, from CSP Stephen Fung Kin-man who is now Border District Commander.
"The Force must work with the media to ensure accurate and factual information is presented to the public. I recognise the importance of the press in keeping the community informed and I will work together with it to ensure information released is adequate, timely and factual. This is not just to maintain the Force's good image, but also to help us garner more assistance from the public in fighting crime."
The former New Territories North Deputy Regional Commander said he was prepared for the challenges of the position, and looked forward to further boosting the Force's image.
"The CSP PR post is a very important one, and I wish to work closely with major formation commanders and frontline officers to enhance the image and reputation of the Force, while at the same time helping them further enhance community relations and get more assistance from the public to help fight crime. It is a very challenging job as the work must be done timely, carefully and accurately," he said.
It was also important both staff and the public were kept up to date on the latest Force developments, and that any untruths were quickly refuted and corrected.
Mr Wong encouraged officers to browse the PEN and POINT systems and read OffBeat regularly as they were great mediums providing the latest Force news and information.
"It is important to set the record straight quickly when inaccuracies arise. In cases of serious discrepancy this may require rebuttals, or that the case be brought to the attention of relevant authorities," he said.
"Also, I would like to stress that in this day and age, public relations is another important aspect of policing. I hope every officer will understand that a police officer is a PR officer too. The way we perform and behave in public, on or off duty, reflects the image of the Force."