The violent demonstrations, which started more than eight months ago, have not yet completely ceased. Last November, the Police Force, in accordance with the Public Order Ordinance, recruited officers from other disciplined services to serve as Special Constables to support the police in curbing disorder.

To date, a total of 421 officers have served as Special Constables. Over half are from the Correctional Services Department (CSD), while the rest are from the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Immigration Department (ImmD). Special Constables are mainly responsible for guarding government premises or locations which have a higher chance of being attacked. Each officer is on duty for about three days a week. They need to be armed with guns while on duty and wear a special armband for identification.

OffBeat interviewed several Special Constables, who talked about what it was like to work together with officers from different disciplined forces in anti-riot operations.

"As a law enforcement officer, I wanted to lend a hand in view of the law-breaking activities that were taking place. So when the Police Force started to recruit Special Constables, I applied at once," said Mr Chan from the CSD.

Mr Chan's colleague Ah San added, "We come from the Tactical Response Teams of the CSD and have received anti-riot training, including the use of tear gas and guns, which means that we are well suited to our present duties. I feel honoured to be able to contribute to society as a Special Constable."

In addition to the risks associated with being on duty, Special Constables have to face possible doxxing and the potential harassment of family members. Mr Yu from the C&ED said, "Before I applied to become a Special Constable, I had a frank discussion with my wife and was pleased to receive her support. To be on the safe side, though, I set up multiple security blocks on the family's social media networks."

Immigration officers are often greeted with a friendly "Thank you" when checking people's identity cards. However, when they do the same thing as a Special Constable they frequently receive a hostile response. Mr Lo and Ms Chan from the ImmD said they were psychologically prepared to face the change of roles.

"When I conducted a stop and search on a brother and a sister who were below the age of majority, they were trembling as they feared that we would tell their parents. As a matter of fact, though, the demonstration they were going to attend had obtained a Letter of No Objection. I wonder whether some of these young people have enough knowledge of what activities they are participating in", Ms Chan said. In the same vein, Mr Lo believes that some young people may be spurred on to take part in unlawful activities by what they read and hear and by their peers.

Mr Hung, a police officer from Marine Region, has worked alongside Special Constables. His most unforgettable experience was helping to guard police quarters and fending off violent protestors. "Safeguarding the homes of our colleagues so that they can work without worries is well worth it," he said. "Police officers and citizens are not on opposing sides, but as law enforcement officers, we must crack down on unlawful activities whenever they occur." He thanked officers from other disciplined forces for coming forward to become Special Constables during the social turmoil, for contributing to the safety of Hong Kong, stopping violence and curbing disorder.