I am attached to a Patrol Sub-unit of the Uniform Branch, Kowloon East Region. According to statistics issued by the Complaints Against Police Office, officers of the Uniform Branch attracted more complaints than their colleagues in the other branches. As a frontline police officer, I am very concerned about this and encourage colleagues to be vigilant in the execution of their duties in order to reduce the number of complaints.

In fact, most complaints arise from a conflict of roles with Police in the implementation of their duties. While serving the community on the one hand, a more important duty of the Police is to monitor unlawful acts. It is sometimes difficult to guage which is more appropriate, to serve the public or to in fact monitor their activities.

Take for example complaints which arise from 'top and search' operations. When Police stop and search a person, they often have reasonable cause to suspect that this person has committed, is committing, or will commit an offence. Under such circumstances, the Police play a monitoring role by conducting an interrogation and search. If this person fails to alleviate suspicion by providing ample justification for their behaviour, we shall increase monitoring of the subject in question, which in turn may cause a certain amount of inconvenience to the citizen concerned. This may lead to a complaint.