Hong Kong Police station sergeants about to experience Victoria Police helicopter patrol

ALTHOUGH six Hong Kong Police station sergeants attending a command and control/station management course between 16 June and 5 July in Australia missed the opportunity to work over the historic handover period, Hong Kong was never far from their hearts and minds. "Most of the people we met during our study trip wanted to know about the future of the Force and Hong Kong after July 1," said Station Sergeant Michael Chan Se-loy (Trg & Adm CPB), who often felt like an ambassador for both. "Our visit cleared up their misunderstandings. We told them that the Hong Kong Police will continue to have sole responsibility for policing the SAR, and that Hong Kong's stability showed all signs of continuing."

¡@Chan, along with Station Sergeants Benny Kwong San-keung (FICS IMT1), Ken Li Chung-kin (EU KW), Richard Leung Yuk-Wang (OSSU CPDIV), Francis Kwok Shu-chi (RMPU NTS), and Kenny Luk Chiu-ki (OC DTT CDIST), were attending the management and career development course arranged by Victoria Police College in Australia.

¡@Their selection to attend the course was based on the recommendation of their major formation commanders, their working experience (all have served in the Force for over 16 years), and their communication skills.

¡@"The history of the Hong Kong Police Force arranging overseas training trips for JPOs stretches over 15 years," explains WSP Wong So-ying of Support Division, Training Wing. "We have sent JPOs to study overseas on a regular basis. Past destinations have included police institutions in the UK and New Zealand. This is the first time we have sent JPOs to courses in Australia. In addition, courses conducted for junior police officers in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Japan and Korea are also being considered."

¡@The 200-year-old Victoria Police College was an international military intelligence base during World War II and enjoys the reputation as a premier police academy. For their particular study period, the six Hong Kong JPOs were joined by ten senior sergeants from the Victoria Police.

¡@Indoor class study included two full weeks of seminars and workshops on personnel management, station management, mind mapping, risk assessment, tactical crowd control, liaison, emergency planning and customer service. Course instructors are very experienced police officers, while professional consultants from private agencies also lectured on leadership and time management.

¡@Hong Kong officers also experienced first-hand the work of many formations in the Victoria Police Force including: the Special Operations Group, the Traffic Operation Group, the Crime Prevention Bureau, Homicide Squad, Drug Squad, Intelligence Squad, Youth advisory Unit, Missing Persons Unit, Marine and Air Wing.

¡@"Our Australian classmates also arranged for us to ride on a patrol helicopter and visit the Command and Control Centre of the Melbourne Cricket Ground which performs crowd control duty during and after the matches," said SSgt Kwok.

¡@"To be promoted from senior sergeant to inspector in the Victoria Police Force, officers must pass this course," he continued. "So we have learned a lot from the course as well as from our classmates - all of whom have over 18 years in policing and were more than willing to share their experience with us. And because our Australian counterparts share a similar Force structure and culture with us, this led to a common understanding on such areas as ethics, professionalism and a common vision."

¡@Echoing Kwok's sentiments, Station Sergeant Ken Li Chung-kin was also impressed by the Victoria Force's dress regulations which are applied to their plainclothes officers: "All of them have to wear trousers, shirt and tie while on duty, which, in my opinion projects a more professional image of their Force."

¡@For their part, the six Hong Kong station sergeants wore full uniform throughout the course. However, because they were not issued with the new badges prior to their trip, after 30 June they instead wore suits. And as a token of friendship, presented their Australian classmates with their old badges before leaving - all of which were highly cherished as souvenirs.

Senior Superintendent Chiu E-ping addresses graduates of the 17th Physical Training Instructor course

THE 17th Physical Training Instructor course saw just over a third of its applicants - eight men and three women from Special Duty Unit, Airport Security Unit, Criminal Intelligence Bureau and various districts - selected and succeed in completing the gruelling two-month physical, psychological and educational undertaking. ¡@Conducted by Training Development Bureau, Training Wing, 265 participants have taken the course since its inception in 1986. Graduates include members from Police, Customs and Excise, Immigration Department, Urban Services and other government departments. This year all graduates were Hong Kong Police.

¡@"Force members with healthy bodies and minds provide a higher standard of service quality," said the Bureau's Senior Superintendent Chiu E-ping officiating at the ceremony to present Physical Training Instructor Certificates and congratulate graduates who will "go on to teach and promote the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle to our colleagues in different formations - the common obligation." ¡@The demanding course is a combination of theory and practice where participants learn the teaching skills necessary to impart everything from fitness and physical training, to physiology and self-defence, to the prevention of sports injuries, to diet and weight training principles. They also learn first aid, swimming training, life saving techniques, gymnastic training, orienteering teaching, canoeing, rock climbing and mountaineering, as well as how to organise athletic meets. Included is an exchange of experience with Sports and Science Department staff at the Hong Kong Sports Institution. ¡@"Apart from the lessons, in the beginning the physical training was extremely tough (especially during the noonday sessions which were very hot), and we found it difficult to measure up to the requirements demanded by the instructors," recalls Sergeant So Wai-ming of the Small Boat Unit. "But from day to day, as your physical strength and cardiovascular condition improves, self-confidence is regained. I look forward to sharing what I have learned - especially the correct methods of physical training - with my colleagues in the Special Duties Unit." ¡@Another graduate, Woman PC Ho Kit-ying, who becomes a physical training instructor at the Police Tactical Unit, shares Sergeant So's enthusiasm: "I am very lucky to have had the chance to take this course. My new posting in PTU allows me the opportunity to put into practice what I have learned - and make a contribution to the Force." ¡@Course director, acting Chief Inspector Stephen Ma Chak-wa of Training and Development Bureau, points out that another achievement of the course is its efficient deployment of Force manpower and resources. ¡@"Among this year's graduates, one takes up the job of physical training instructor in PTU, four will work at the Police Training School, while another three return to their original postings in SDU, Airport Security Unit and CIB to do work related to physical training. The remaining three will fill physical training instructor vacancies as they occur," he explained. ¡@CIP Ma would also like to appeal to all police officers interested in applying for next year's course selection: "Attention to a healthy lifestyle, body strength and stamina - a result of long-term training - are the main criteria for the selection process. Preparation and dedication to training is the key to being selected."