Lau Tat-ming promotes Force values through community service

Kwun Tong District (KTDIST) Neighbourhood Police Co-ordinator, Sergeant (SGT) Lau Tat-ming performed remarkably in his 29 years of service in the Force, and also assisted in establishing various police volunteer groups. His concern for the community and selfless devotion precisely reflect the values of the Force.

SGT Lau has been serving the community actively since he joined the Force in 1987. He has not only spent his spare time to work with social workers to help youngsters appreciate the meaning of life, but also supported animal care organisations in spreading the message of protecting animals and conducting rescue operations. Serving as a member of the District Co-ordinating Committee on Promotion of Volunteer Service from 2004 to 2014, he assisted the Social Welfare Department (SWD) in planning and promoting volunteer work. Thus, the SWD presented the Long Service Award to him in 2010 in appreciation of his contribution to volunteer service for over 20 years.

SGT Lau said, "I am grateful to the Force for equipping me with policing knowledge and skills. So I want to serve the community through volunteer work. Offering assistance to others strengthens my identity as a police officer and projects a positive image of the Force."

Volunteers help fight crime

Following his promotion to sergeant in 2008, he had been thinking about how to apply the dog training skills that he learned in the Police Dog Unit as well as his volunteer experience to promote crime prevention among youngsters.

He initiated Project Animate in 2014 to promote the message of animal care and enhance communication between youngsters and the Force. Being a Volunteer Inspector of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, he often liaises with dog owners and animal groups to borrow their volunteer dogs. At the same time, on behalf of KTDIST, he contacts the Hong Kong Kennel Club and the Youth Crime Prevention Centre of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups to arrange youngsters to visit animal protection facilities and attend animal care courses with a view to helping them build up their self-confidence and develop a positive attitude to integrate into society.

"The volunteer dogs are originally abandoned dogs. I together with the Police volunteers offer training to these dogs and then arrange interested agencies and individuals to take care of and adopt the dogs. These persons are pleased to bring the dogs to take part in volunteer activities of Project Animate. This marks another form of Police-community partnership," SGT Lau explained.

Knowledge transfer

He believes that "helping others makes us happy". Over the years, he has gathered a group of colleagues to form a number of volunteer teams, including the KTDIST Volunteer Group and the Rainbow Volunteer Group. Last year he was appointed as a Peer Advisor in the domain of "prevention of cruelty to animals" under the Peer Adviser Scheme of the Force to share his skills with fellows.

Looking ahead, SGT Lau hopes to continue disseminating the message of animal care in the Force and persuading young people to stay away from crimes. He encourages fellow officers to join voluntary service as this will bring synergy to the community and broaden their mind and horizon. "When I learn that some colleagues find volunteer work rewarding, I become more passionate in voluntary service," he said.