Under the arrangements of the Hong Kong Police College, four Sergeants participated in the Sergeant Qualifying Program at the Victoria Police Academy in Melbourne, Australia, in June.

The course aimed at strengthening the participants' leadership and management skills as well as their ability to respond to emergencies. The first week of the training focused on leadership management, risk management, performance management and staff development while the second week of the training covered incident command and control, vehicle pursuit management, incident action planning and emergency management.

The Hong Kong officers took the opportunity to share their policing knowledge with 20 Sergeants from the Victoria Police through group discussions, practical exercises, workshops and experience-sharing sessions. They also visited various units of the Victoria Police, including the Mounted Branch, the Dog Unit, the Air Wing and the Ringwood Police Station, to gain an in-depth understanding of the work of local officers.

The Hong Kong officers said the program had broadened their horizons, enhanced their management and leadership ability and enabled them to develop a rapport with overseas counterparts.