Addressing one of the JPO workshops on "Living the Values", DCP MAN Tsang Yam-pui said: "We must continually re-assess our performance to ensure that we are measuring up to and following the high ideals that we have set for ourselves"	SINCE the launch of the Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values last December, it was decided that the values contained in the statement would be discussed by every police formation to ensure that all officers are able to fulfil their commitment and share their responsibilities accordingly in a programme called "Living the Values" ¡@To this end, a series of 19 "Living the Values"workshops were held for all officers of superintendent rank conducted by an independent management consultant firm. The workshops focused on five major issues and, within the context of group discussion, elicited feedback in the areas of exploring the Force's values; identifying potential barriers to the implementation of the values; overcoming potential barriers; feedback to senior management; and personal action planning.
¡@To ensure that the message filters further down from CIP to PC level including auxiliary police and civilian counterparts, Service Quality Wing worked in conjunction with management consultant Organisation Development Limited to produce a self-administered "communications package" for junior police officers given during training days by divisional commanders (or unit commanders of similar rank). ¡@About 200 of these facilitators (superintendent or similar rank) were given training sessions by SQW in the necessary skills required to run workshops for the JPOs in their own units, after which a series of workshops aimed at introducing all junior police officers and civilian staff to the Force's Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values (while encouraging them to identify barriers which might prevent them from living the values), were conducted. ¡@Addressing one of the recent JPO workshops on "Living the Values", DCP MAN Tsang Yam-pui said: "In our everyday lives we are often too busy to focus on more than our work, leaving little time for exchanging opinions with colleagues on such important job aspects as attitude, future objectives, ideas on the work itself and our responsibility to the community. But the rapid transformation of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Police has meant that officers must now strive to improve the Force's quality of service and maintain a customer-based culture by offering an effective, efficient and economical service." ¡@He said: "In 1996, the declaration of our Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values marked a milestone in the development of the Force and has provided a benchmark for our continued efforts to gradually, effectively and sensibly improve our service. The key factor for the success of this campaign is to ensure the message filters down through the whole organisation. ¡@"Our main objective is to keep Hong Kong one of the safest and most stable societies in the world - and, through our actions, for members of the general public to have this perception. Our efforts have already produced positive results," he said citing a trend in dropping crime statistics, a reduction in the number of complaints against police officers and cases of corruption involving policemen. ¡@"However, we must continually re-evaluate and re-assess our performance to ensure that we are measuring up to and following the high ideals that we have set out for ourselves in the Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values. We must constantly strive to be better.Ó ¡@The JPO "Living the Values" workshops are a prime reflection of the Force's policy to constantly improve. Not only do they ensure that the Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values filters all the way down and throughout the entire Force, but the workshops and training sessions also provide a deeper understanding of the Statement's meaning which cannot help but enhance quality of service. ¡@Said CSP Eddie Mak Man-poon of Performance Review Branch, SQW: "The difference between the 'Living the Values' workshop content for the officer grade and JPO grade is that the former is more theoretical while the latter is more practical. We chose a series of case studies based on frontline experience from PSU, SDS and CID officers in different formations that reflected difficulties and conflicts during the enforcement of their duties. ¡@"These workshops also provided an invaluable opportunity for Force members to participate in a healthy dialogue with each other. Open communication is a key factor. The workshops were not briefing sessions or directives given out by senior officers, but rather frank and open discussions and the sharing of useful experience between all participants involved on issues which all ranks have in common. The sessions also provided an excellent opportunity for all involved to better understand just exactly what the Force policy is on a variety of fronts," continued CSP Mak. ¡@Emphasised session consultant Joanna Lee of Organisation Development Limited: "The intention of these sessions was to help Hong Kong Police Force members at all levels to strengthen their communication skills and express their views in a free atmosphere.Ó
¡@Feedback from these sessions (at all levels) is encouraged by formation commanders and action taken to address areas of concern, resolve value conflicts, or remove ¡@organisational barriers to "Living The Values". Feedback will be further analysed to identify barriers to "Living the Values" in order that a programme of activities can be designed to further break down these barriers and improve service quality in the coming year.	Said CSP Eddie Mak Man-poon of Performance Review Branch, SQW: "The sessions also provided an excellent opportunity for all involved to better understand just exactly what the Force policy is on a variety of fronts"

THE Fourth Hong Kong Police Macau Judiciary Police Bilateral Meeting was held on 26 September in Hong Kong where members of the two Forces discussed the general crime situation in Hong Kong and Macau over the past six months. ¡@The biannually held meeting is aimed at enhancing co-operation between the two Forces and establishing an efficient and effective liaison network between corresponding bureaus and units of the two sides. ¡@The Director of Crime and Security Douglas Lau Yuk-kuen opened the meeting, by commenting that the previous encounters had proved to be useful, with the important relationship between the two Forces achieving good results. He trusted that this excellent co-operation would continue. ¡@The Hong Kong side comprised: ACP Crime Fung Siu-yuen, CSP Crime Support Trevor Oakes, CSP Crime CCB Chung Hiu-pang, CSP Crime CIB Chan Wai-ki, CSP Crime NB Koo Sii-hong, CSP Crime NB Lee Ka-chiu, and SP Interpol Division Wong Tat-wah. ¡@The Macau Judiciary Police delegation was headed by its Deputy Director Dr da Cruz, and comprised corresponding bureau heads. ¡@Mr Fung told the Macau officers that the overall crime rate of Hong Kong in 1996 was the lowest in 15 years and that the projected crime rate for the first nine months of this year showed a further 15.7 per cent drop from the crime rate of the corresponding period last year. ¡@During the meeting the participants discussed the situation and enforcement result in the fields of commercial crime, narcotics, serious crime, criminal intelligence and support facilities. Problems of counterfeit currency, drug trafficking, triad and loanshark activities, and theft of vehicles were highlighted. ¡@The next meeting is scheduled to be held in March in Macau.