Officers develop their own strengths and build up experience in the course of work. Many of them have built on these competencies and added value to the Force. Thus, OffBeat has invited officers from different formations to share their stories at our new series titled "Faces of the Force". For this issue, Station Sergeant (SSGT) Ng Man-ho from Patrol Sub-unit 1 of Marine West Division shared his interest and passion for life with our readers.

SSGT Ng joined the Force in 1993. Apart from undertaking his normal duties, he has pursued his own interest and tried to apply such experience to serve the Force.

Being keen on aerial filming, SSGT Ng is an amateur filming crew of the "Chicken Wing Tip Production House" of the Force. He had also been a member of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Cadre, and serves as a voluntary mentor of the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps from time to time to train up youngsters.

Under the influence of his father, SSGT Ng showed interest in remote control aircraft and machinery when he was young. He started aerial filming in 2013 and very shortly joined the "Chicken Wing Tip Production House" to assist in filming work. Although the service of the crew is entirely voluntary, SSGT Ng and his teammates are dedicated to the cause. Their efforts gained international recognition as their video, "Generation 2+", won the "Gold Award for Corporate Internal Communications" and "Grand Award for Best of Internal Communications" of the 2014 Questar Awards.

Turning hobbies into work

Having worked in the Marine Region for over 20 years, he has considered applying his aerial filming skills to the search and rescue work of the formation to enhance work performance. In this regard, he is preparing to draft a proposal for submission to the Police Staff Suggestions Scheme.

In addition to filming, he joined the EOD Cadre in 2003 in a bid to apply his mechanical skills. Looking back to his service in the Cadre in the past decade, he found the tackling of a wartime-unexploded ordnance at a construction site in Happy Valley in 2014 highly memorable. He said the ordnance carried over   1 000 pounds of explosives and could still explode. Nevertheless, members of EOD Bureau and Cadre did not flinch, and had united instead to defuse the ordnance and had it successfully removed within 10-odd hours.

SSGT Ng encouraged other officers to take part in more activities in which they are interested. This would not only help them boost their self-confidence and build up satisfaction, but also enhance their work quality and project a good image of the Force. Working on the principle of "trying one's utmost", SSGT Ng contributes himself to the Force and has performed very well in many portfolios. "My service in the 'Chicken Wing Tip Production House' and EOD Cadre has beefed up my professional work experience, communication skills, leadership skills, sense of judgement and management skills, and has broadened my horizon and enriched myself," he said.

Epilogue: During the interview with OffBeat, SSGT Ng said he was particularly grateful to his wife whom he met at the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps. Her support and understanding are vital to keep him moving forward. He added that he has brought his son to participate in volunteer work to develop his sense of responsibility and perseverance. The integration of parental care and volunteer work has enriched SSGT Ng's life and brought joy to the family.