"May I see your warrant card?" This perhaps is one of the most common questions faced by police officers in public events in the past three months or so. When a gang of angry protesters urged Station Sergeant Chan Ming-tak of New Territories South Regional Response Contingent to show his warrant card and slurred insults at him, Mr Chan was able to control his temperament under the spotlight of dozens of cameras. He acted with composure and invited the protesters to cross the Police check-line and then showed his warrant card in a secure environment. Mr Chan said it is important for police officers to stay unruffled in the recent turmoil.

The incident occurred on the night of July 14, when Mr Chan and his colleagues were handling rioters in Sha Tin. A video capturing Mr Chan's modest response was widely circulated among police officers. "Front-line officers face a lot of challenges in public events. Some protesters may intimidate police officers with abusive language while some radicals may even attempt to attack police officers with violence," Mr Chan said. "When every movement of police officers is scrutinised by the media who take photographs and video footage at close range, our officers are under a lot of stress. No matter how cool you are, you would reach a critical point." He explained that as a supervisory officer, he has to keep calm and demonstrate to his subordinates how to handle hostile situations without losing temper.

Recalling the riot in Sha Tin, Mr Chan was obviously still unsettled by the violence his team confronted. "While we were advancing towards Lucky Plaza in a dispersal operation, a large group of rioters were chucking bottles, helmets, bricks and various sorts of hard objects at us. After I had sprinted forward and subdued a protester, I realised that only a handful of my colleagues managed to catch up, and we were surrounded by a mob. My action in this instance had placed myself in danger," he said.

With the video of Mr Chan's tactful response to the question about his warrant card being widely circulated among colleagues, he was grateful for his colleagues' appreciation and he also admired his fellow officers' hard work. He believed that most officers do not mind working a 30- or even 40-hour shift when they are doing what they deem to be purposeful. Mr Chan also stressed the importance of morale. "My subordinates might be disappointed by a decision made by me or my seniors, but we often carry out the decision together as a team," he said.

Mr Chan observed that fake information which aimed at stirring discontent and negatively affecting morale was being circulated on social media. He said, "We must stay united. Many members of the public are silently supporting us. We need to stay calm, stand our ground, and be cautious in executing our duties to regain the public's respect and trust."