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 For members of the Police Flag Party, raising the National and Regional emblems is a matter of pride |
OFFICERS from the Security Unit of Police
Headquarters responsible for raising and lowering the National and Regional flags every day
at the Golden bauhinia sculpture next to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
carry out their special duty with great honour and pride.
The National flag has been raised there since 1 October 1997, together with the display of the Regional flag from 1 July 1997. The flag party consists of one sergeant and four constables. The flags are raised at 8am and lowered at 6pm with solemn drill movements performed before audiences of locals and tourists. The six-minute process of displaying the flags looks simple and brief, but because of the solemnity of the occasion the ritual must be carried out precisely and correctly as befits the symbolism of the occasion. "Starting from 1 July this year when the National and Regional flags are flown together, we have to make sure the National flag reaches the peak of the staff first when hoisted - which requires co-operation and co-ordination among party members. And when lowered, the flags must never touch the ground," said SPC Chan Wai-mo. |
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"Windy weather conditions make the lowering and folding of flags more difficult because the two flags are large, with the National flag measuring 288 cm in length and 192 cm in height, while the Regional flag is just a bit smaller," said SPC Chan. "Because the ceremony is held in a public place and usually viewed by members of the public and often photographed, there is pressure to make sure we perform the duty correctly," said Sergeant Wan Wing-kay. "We take special pride in performing the job because only a few dozen officers in the Force have the opportunity to do so," said Sergeant Wan. | |
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IT was smiles all round as the Force, represented
by a Police Training School team led by its Commandant CSP Charles Wong Doon-yee
accepted top honours from the Secretary of the Civil Service Lam Woon-kwong on 18 June
after winning the recent HKSAR Civil Service Human Resource Management Competition.
CSP Wong along with team members SSP Stuart McDouall, CIPs Vivian Lo, Mark Ford McNicol, Peter Donohue, Andy Yip and Constable Tse Chun-ming received the Best Practice and Grand Awards in the newly opened Civil Service Training and Development Institute (CSTDI) in North Point. |
 Smiles all round. DCP MAN Tsang Yam-pui (centre left) with winning team from the Police Training School |
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This all came about as part of the government's aim to promote good practices in human resource management and give due recognition to achievements in this important area. The CSTDI launched an inter-departmental competition earlier in the year to judge who carried out the best induction programme for new recruits. In competition with over 30 other government departments, the Force team was short-listed as one of the best five in a hotly contested battle. Later the winning entries were verbally presented by senior staff from the relevant departments. The Force presentation was given by CSP Wong in front of a panel of judges comprising the Director of CSTDI, the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, the Human Resource Director of Motorola Semiconductors Hong Kong, seven other departmental Directorate Officers and our own Deputy Commissioner of Police Management, Tsang Yam-pui. The Force presentation focused on the total involvement of its training staff with human development and personal support offered to new police probationary inspectors. Incorporated into the Force Vision, the police induction programme lays particular emphasis on links to the family, openness, and feedback throughout the induction and training period and beyond. Mr Tsang praised the abilities of CSP Wong and his team in sweeping the field and taking top honours. Planning is underway to successfully tackle next year's competition. | |
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 Mr Suen reviewing new police graduates |
THE Secretary for Constitutional Affairs,
Michael Suen Ming-yeung, said that Hong Kong had the most disciplined and the best
qualified police force in Asia.
Speaking at the recent passing-out parade at the Police Training School, Mr Suen said in the past years, in particular the previous one, the Hong Kong Police Force had met many new challenges. |
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"The rise in both the workload and the complexity of the tasks handled have made the job extremely demanding. Under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police and the dedication of all members of the Force, the police have delivered the highest possible quality service," he said. "The tasks lying ahead may not be easy ones," he continued. "However, police officers will have the support of the community if they are dedicated to serving people with righteousness and tolerance." Mr Suen reminded those who were passing-out last Saturday, that it had taken their colleagues much hard work to earn the confidence, trust and respect of the public - and that he hoped the new officers would preserve this reputation of excellence. "As the community has rising expectations of the standard of service to be delivered by the Force," he said, "police officers must meet those challenges with confidence, commitment and integrity." A total of 24 probationary inspectors and 195 recruit constables graduated. | |
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IN support of the Force's healthy lifestyle
campaign and to promote the wide variety of activities of the Police Art Council's eight
member clubs, the first Police Arts Festival takes place from noon to 5pm on Sunday 23
August at the indoor sports hall of the Police Sports and Recreation Club.
The brainchild of vice-chairwoman of the Police Arts Council, and chairwoman of the Police Handicraft Club, Superintendent Helen Kwong, the Festival is fully supported by members of the Police Arts Council who are mobilising to ensure the event is highly enjoyable and offers a wide selection of meaningful and enriching activities that can be shared by one and all-including the whole family. The eight clubs participation in the Festival are: the Painting and Calligraphy Club, the Handicraft Club, the Philatelic Club, the Choir, the Children's Choir, the Women's Chinese Dance Club, the Chinese Culture Club and the Pop Music Club. While the latter two clubs have been set up just recently, the other are long-established Force mainstays which continue to draw in new members looking to meet friends, develop their interests and meet friends, develop their interests and spend spare time in worthwhile pursuits. The Festival will feature a wide variety of activities including stalls set up where visitors can watch works in progress by members of the Handicraft Club and purchase finished items; participate in a stamp show and auction; see(and buy) wonderful displays of Chinese paintings and calligraphy; and compete in a ballpen calligraphy competition. The day will also feature performances by the choirs, Chinese Dance' and Pop Music clubs. Entry to the Festival is free, and all Force members are encouraged to bring along their families and friends. And don't be surprised if you wind up joining one of the clubs. |
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ALTHOUGH the Police Pop Music Club,
who will be performing at the Arts Festival, was formed under auspices of the Police Arts
Council last May by Force member who love to spend their spare time playing music and
singing, the origins of the club date back almost 20 years.
The Police Amateur Pop Band was affiliated with the Police Choir(formed in 1977) for almost two decades. During that time a small group of choir members also began to take an interest in folk singing and formed a folk group who eventually began including pop music in their repertoire. Acoustic guitars gave way to electric guitars, drums and other electronic instruments and the group renamed itself the Police Air and Sound Band. |
 Police Pop Music Club musicians rehearsing a number |
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In 1996-97 members of Police Air and Sound Band decided to split from the Police Choir to form the Police Pop Music Club. Playing pop music ranging from cha cha, waltz, rumba and rock 'n' roll, the number of player members expanded so rapidly they had to set up two bands(the A and B Band). At present there are 20 serving officers ranging in rank from constable superintendent playing pop music regularly in both. They practise weekly in their spare time at the Waterfront Police Station. "Funded by the Police Welfare Fund, the aim of club members is to practise and perform on our off duty time especially for Junior Police Officer activities and functions where pop music can be enjoyed," said its chairman Iain Tae Ho-yin. The musical standard of the bands is exceptionally good, and judging by audience reaction to their performances they are highly appreciated. Force members(regulars, auxiliary or civilians) who are also musicians and interested in playing pop music are welcome to join the club-which will be holding a members' drive on the afternoon of Saturday July 25 at the Waterfront Police Station. Enquiries to PPMC chairman Iain Tse Ho-yin:2841-6506, or vice-chairman Frankie Fung Sai-on:2797-4252. | |
As of June, the newly designed and bi-lingual Hong Kong Police Homepage went live on the World Wide Web. Colourful and revamped with slick graphics and great photo images from the Force, it's easy to read, fun to navigate ¡Ð and will be updated on a regular basis. Users have been clicking onto everything from Operations to History to Emergency 999 to Recruitment to Reward Notices to Feedback and all inbetween. About five per cent of the site is still under construction (including the new Gift Shop location). so bear with us and¡Ðcheck it out at: http://www.info.gov.hk/police
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