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 Promoted to sergeants! SPC Lau Chi-chung, PC Law Chun-ming, WPC Ng Siu-fong and DPC Lau Chun-fung. |
LAST month (12 February) the Commissioner of
Police announced a list of 256 police constables who will be promoted in batches in order of
seniority to the rank of sergeant over the next twelve months.
The list is based on recommendations by the Force Review Board (FRB). Most officers are from the Uniform Branch General Stream, but it also includes 20 officers from the Marine Deck Stream and six from Identification Bureau. |
Incorporating recommendations made as a result of a broad review conducted by the Force as well as suggestions by the ICAC (upon invitation from the Commissioner of Police), the recently concluded 1998-99 Police Constable to Sergeant Promotion Exercise was the first to be conducted using a revised system that included major changes designed to ensure that it was fair, impartial and transparent, providing for consistent assessment on fixed criteria throughout the Force. In addition, corruption prevention measures were tightened. It aimed to be objective, scientific and professional in selecting the best PCs for promotion to sergeant in a highly competitive exercise. Variations in marks between Force Promotion Assessment Teams (FPATs) were moderated using a statistical method so all officers could be compared fairly. The exercise was a simplified one-interview process, with all recommendations considered by a Force Review Board. It was administered centrally at Force level by SSP Moderator, Angela Lau Tse Kam-har. The time taken to complete the exercise was shortened and will allow the 1999 - 2000 exercise to start on schedule in early April. All recommended candidates have received reports from the Force Promotion Assessment Team and Force Review Board, where applicable. These clearly show total scores and their position relative to other candidates at each stage in the promotion process. Candidates can also identify their strengths and weaknesses in competition with others. This combination of transparency and realism will help qualified police constables decide if they should put themselves forward for consideration in this year's exercise. Guidance has also been be issued to Formations on understanding the FPAT and FRB report forms. At the conclusion of the 1998-99 exercise a separate Evaluation Report was produced for the Commissioner, in addition to the report containing the results. This recommends that the 1999-2000 PC to Sergeant Promotion Exercise be run along the lines of the 1998-99 exercise with only minor amendments. Emphasis will continue to be given to the highly competitive nature of the PC to Sergeant promotion exercise. |
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TOPPING THE LIST, Detective Police Constable
Lau Chun-fung from Crime Western District achieved the highest score in the promotion
exercise. Having served the Force for eight years, DPC Lau believes that day-to-day
performance is very important in the selection process under the revised system.
He said: "Under the revised selection system, recommended police constables are interviewed only once, which makes recommending officers take a more practical approach in putting forward a candidate. Only the best suited police constables who realistically have a chance for promotion are selected." DCP Lau also found that the relaxed atmosphere of the promotion interview was conducive to allowing him to better demonstrate his abilities and knowledge. MOST SENIOR AMONG THE CANDIDATES of the 1998-99 exercise was Senior Police Constable Lau Chi-chung from Patrol Sub-unit Yuen Long District who has been in the Force for over 21 years. SPC Lau admitted that this was his tenth time to sit for a promotion interview and was glad to have finally succeeded in this revised system. Said SPC Lau: "The revised promotion system is more fair and open because candidates do not know who their interviewers will be. Additionally, the practice of the Moderator randomly sitting in on the interviews ensured that it was conducted in a fair manner, while at the same time adding to the transparency of the selection process. " THE MOST JUNIOR PC among the newly promoted sergeants was Woman Police Constable Ng Siu-fong of Emergency Unit, New Territories South. The success she enjoyed in her second promotion interview over six years of service is something she has been working hard to achieve. WPC Ng said: "I've always thought that career development should be planned in advance, so when I first heard that woman constables could wear guns I applied for training without a second thought believing that such a skill would be beneficial to my career development. WPC Ng's proactive attitude seems to be opening promotional doors. Upon completion of firearms training she was transferred to EU NTS where her outstanding performance earned her the chance to sit for the promotion interview. REPRESENTATIVE OF THE "AVERAGE" candidate in terms of age, length of service, education, etc., was Police Constable Law Chun-ming of Ngau Tau Kok Division who will be made sergeant after six attempts at the promotion interview. PC Law said that during his on and off duty hours he has prepared for sergeant promotion ¡Ð from daily performance, to studying police manuals, procedures, regulations and current affairs. Said PC Law: "I have formed a study group with three other police constables in which we exchange views and hold discussions when preparing for the interview. So far three out of four of us have been promoted. My advice to those who are going to sit for the interview is to form a group because feedback is advantageous, generates ideas, creates confidence ¡Ð and it's more fun than studying by yourself."Ó |
