They were Senior Police Constable Mr Chan Chak-lung of Sham Shui Po District; Police Constables Mr Chan Kwan-wing of Marine South Division, Mr Lau Hoi-wa of Regional Crime Unit Kowloon East, Mr Mok Wai-man of Police Tactical Unit and Mr Wong Kam-wai of Tsuen Wan Division; and, Police Constable (Auxiliary) Mr Wong Kin-hung of Ta Kwu Ling Division.

OffBeat spoke to these outstanding candidates and they said in one voice that the 'POINT from Home' service was an effective and handy tool for learning that had helped them a lot in their preparation for the examination.

Topping 3,038 candidates with 91 marks, Mr Chan Kwan-wing said e-learning was very convenient because he could get hold of updated information just by surfing on the Police Intranet either at home or in the police station.

To prevent weary eyes as a result of long-term use of computer monitors, Mr Wong Kam-wai said he would do some exercises from time to time to refresh his mind, while Mr Wong Kin-hung said he formed a good habit of taking notes after digesting an abundance of material on the Internet.

Mr Mok, however, set a systematic timetable for revision and formed a study group with colleagues. He said: "It could be easy for someone to give up if he studied alone. When we did the revision together, members of our study group could push each other to work harder."

For Mr Lau Hoi-wa and Mr Chan Chak-lung, this was not the first time they sat for the exam. But they had never thought of giving up the chance to perfect themselves and, finally, they rose to the top grade.

Noting that it was 10 years since he last took the exam, Mr Chan Chak-lung said: "The Force has undergone many changes over that time and it was necessary for me to update my knowledge on laws and procedures. The exam served as a test for my knowledge in these areas.

"Ask your seniors if you encounter problems in your study. Don't give up! Work hard towards your goal and you shall succeed in the end," he added.

As an auxiliary policeman, Mr Wong Kin-hung had to squeeze time for studying while fulfilling his full-time job duties in the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. He said his passion for the Force was the driving force for him to work hard during many sleepless nights. "I hope other auxiliary policemen will also try their best to equip themselves with up-to-date knowledge. "

Meanwhile, the Force Examinations Board recently endorsed the results for the January 2003 Inspectorate Standard II Professional Examination. Inspector Mr Leung Chun-man had received 'Distinctions' in three papers and a 'Great Credit' in one paper. He received a letter of congratulations signed by the Director of Personnel & Training. Last July, he also won the Baton of Honour.

Mr Leung said he always imagined he was handling real-life cases when studying and his good results were more than he expected. He added: "After studying for several hours, I usually did some exercises like yoga and running. These helped me to refresh my mind and get twice the result with half the effort."

Achieving a 'Distinction' in one paper, Inspector Mr Yeung Yuk-leung received a congratulatory letter from the Assistant Commissioner (Training). He had also won 'Distinctions' in two other papers in last July's exam.

Six officers obtain distinctions in examinations