This article was contributed by PC Mo Ah-nam of Sham Shui Po Division:

Being front-line officers we often have to deal with complaints, some unavoidable, as in the case of 'technical complaint' where the accused conducts a smear campaign in the hope of getting away with it. However, upon closer examination we may realise that many complaints in fact result from misunderstanding.

Let me tell you a story. A member of the public produced a parking ticket and complained that a Police Constable misled him resulting in prosecution. The complainant stated that he had located a metered parking space only to find it suspended. He saw a PC and asked if he could be permitted to park there. Allegedly the PC said he could park there without risking a fine. The complainant parked his car and went away. Returning two hours later he discovered a parking ticket on the windscreen of his car. Though it was not the PC he spoken to who had issued the ticket, he still felt cheated and eventually decided to lodge a complaint.

I believe that this complaint was the result of a simple verbal misunderstanding. The PC thought the car would not cause an obstruction and therefore stated that he could occupy the parking space in question albeit for a limited period. However, the complainant misunderstood and thought he could park there. After he had parked his car and departed from the scene a police officer arrived and naturally, noticing the vehicle in question parked in a suspended metered parking space, took what he regarded as the appropriate action and issued a parking ticket. Such a complaint could have been avoided had the PC explained that the parking space had been suspended and was not currently in use, but as the complainant's car was not causing an obstruction, he could occupy the parking space for a limited period of time but also stipulating that the car should be driven away as soon as possible to avoid action by any other officer. The decision whether to move the car or remain in the parking space would then have rested squarely on the shoulders of the citizen.

Similar complaints are not uncommon but are easily avoided by exercising care, such as making accurate notebook entries with relevant explanations noted and clearly verbalised to members of the public.

In this particular case, the PC should have made a record of the encounter in his notebook, stating that at his own discretion he decided to allow the driver to park his vehicle in the suspended metered parking space. This would have clarified the situation for the driver and avoided a complaint being made in this case.

We never fear unreasonable complaints. It is important to do our job calmly and patiently to ensure that justice is done for everyone.

So be devoted to duty and exercise care. An officer of integrity need not fear false accusations.

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