The Force has 11 Volunteer Secondary Duty Cadres, which comprise a total of over 1,000 members with special skills to deal with different challenges. The following story shows how the Force Abseiling Cadre (FAC) has displayed resolution and earned public recognition.

 

 

Police work involves a wide range of duties that are full of challenges. Safeguarding life and property is no easy task. Police officers may need to “fly and dive” while performing duties. Thus, frontline officers must acquire special knowledge, skills and equipment to cope with unforeseeable situations. The FAC is capable of providing support for the Force when working at height is required.

 

In 2005, the Force came up with a new idea of setting up the FAC. Cadre members need to be physically fit for taking on rigorous training. In addition, they have to familiarise themselves with using working at height equipment and ropes to reduce risks during their missions.

 

 

They are on standby round the clock on roster, ensure the security of major facilities and respond to unexpected incidents during the ever-increasing major public order events. They also provide support, training and professional advice relating to working at height to the formations in the Force.

 

In August 2007, the job of FAC reached a milestone as its professionalism gave the public a better understanding of the job and earned public recognition. That day, the cadre was called out to the Queen’s Pier incident. After staging a public order event at the pier for four days and nights continuously, a dozen of protesters suddenly perched on the rooftop of the pier, posing risks to themselves as well as bringing the police operation to a halt.

 

 

The pier area, the City Hall and Edinburgh Place were packed with hundreds of police officers as well as thousands of protesters, reporters and onlookers. Shortly after arrival, the FAC became the focus of attention. Dressed in specially designed outfit and equipped with climbing gear, the FAC members eventually removed all the protesters from a hazardous situation.

 

To ensure safety of the protesters and the officers in the operation, the cadre members spent almost 10 hours in clearing the scene. The operation was broadcast live on local TV news programmes from which members of the public witnessed the whole process. When the last protester, who behaved aggressively, was removed safely, cheers erupted from the onlookers in appreciation of the cadre members’ efforts. Today most of the cadre members still have a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

 

 

The next day, the success of the FAC hit the headlines. OffBeat and Police Magazine interviewed the cadre members on their mission at the pier. The Queen’s Pier incident was an unusual “high angle rescue” mission, yet it reminded the cadre members that they have to take every opportunity to get better equipped and establish good teamwork for more challenges to come.

 

(This article is contributed by Sergeant Luk Wing-han of Patrol Sub-unit 3 Sha Tau Kok Division.)