Mr Ko, who will turn 57 in a few months, has been working as the Executive Producer of Police Magazine since 1981. Apart from Police Magazine, he also directed the production of a number of other Police television programmes, including Crime Watch and Junior Police Call.

"When I was young, the older generation always said: 'Good boys should not become cops'. But I changed my views soon after I started working here as the producer of Police Magazine. I realise now that policemen are both reasonable and sensible. In the past 10 years I have seen many changes in the Force - the officers are better educated and have more self-confidence.

"For example, my colleagues at the Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) are well educated, intellectual and polite. They are not stubborn - they move with the times. They are open and flexible and they believe the public has the right to know how they carry out their duties.

This year, Police Magazine, jointly produced by RTHK and PPRB, will be celebrating its 30th year of television broadcasts. As a communication link between the Force and the community, the programme aims to raise viewers' awareness of anti-crime measures, strengthen co-operation between the Force and the public, enhance transparency of duties of Police officers and promote a positive image of the Force.

Mr Ko has seen the public affairs programme grow from a 15-minute slot to a fully-fledged prime-time offering.

He said: "The reach of Police Magazine has also been extended during the past two decades. Three television stations and an increasing number of media outlets also broadcast the programme in full or in part. You may also click on the Internet and watch the programme anywhere and anytime you want."

Mr Ko said the programme production was similar to other public affairs programmes. "However, we cannot report cases which are under investigation. That is a great challenge for me!"

"The current presentation style is quite different nowadays. In the past, the programme usually carried brief case reports about missing persons, robberies, burglaries and snatching cases.

"Nowadays, the programme puts more emphasis on crime reconstruction. This method helps the public to understand what actually happened and is more interesting because there are more action scenes."

According to Mr Ko, reconstructing a case is not easy because it requires an exact match of stage properties with those at the actual scenes of crime. Borrowing a place for film shooting could also be a headache for the producer. "For example, it is quite difficult to find an Indian or a Pakistani to act in a scene because there are not many such actors here. But I have been lucky. So far, all problems have been resolved.

Looking back on the past 21 years, Mr Ko said he is most satisfied with recently broadcast features on the Force's Special Duties Unit, Emergency Unit as well as the VIP Protection Unit.

Mr Ko explained: "Positive feedback from viewers is solid proof that a programme has been well received. For example, some viewers ask why there are still so many deception cases even though the show keeps on reporting the fraudsters' modus operandi. I cannot give the answer. So many people continuing to fall for their tricks also puzzles me. But if there are so many people giving feedback to us, it proves that the programme is popular."

Mr Ko said he never became bored with the programme. "Although the modus operandi of culprits were more or less the same, each case was unique."

Mr Ko, an English literature graduate, became an early enthusiast for television production. "In the 1970's, I was a lazy student. The television sector was still an emerging industry at the time of my graduation. I loved to show myself off in front of others and so I flew to the United States to study television services."

And, on his return, he began working in television production, and has remained there ever since. Mr Ko has no firm plans for his post-retirement years. "I shall fly to the United States to reunite with my family and to enjoy a little leisure for some time to come. But, I shall come back because I really love Hong Kong. One thing is certain, I shall keep on watching Police Magazine! I expect to see my successor make even greater improvements,"he concluded.

Mr Johnny Ko: a hard act to follow