Commissioner Mr Tsang Yam-pui, Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Mr Lee Ming-kwai, and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited Senior Executive Mrs Dorothy Sit, presented trophies and cash awards to the winners.

Since 1977, the Force has been organising this annual award scheme to give due recognition to dedicated members of JPC. JPC has gradually evolved to become the largest youth organisation in Hong Kong with some 150,000 members. Apart from Chinese students, students from Sir Ellis Kadoorie Secondary School (West Kowloon) are also anxious to become JPC members.

The school, home to many ethnic minority students in Hong Kong, enrols students from different places of the world such as India, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines. These JPC students also turned up at the ceremony and shared their joyful experience with fellow students.

They all said it was a rewarding experience for them to take part in the scheme and JPC could provide them chances to learn more and to meet with Chinese youths from other schools.

Ms Jessica D Ochoco, who joined JPC a few months ago, said crime prevention talks ranging from drug abuse, gangs and theft benefited them most. "It's really important for us to know more about these things because we come from so many different places and the laws are different. That's how we can learn to become a part of Hong Kong," said the 16-year-old Filipino student.

"Some Form One students are only 12 years old and don't know if they've done something wrong. The talks arranged by our school help us understand what is right and what is wrong," she added.

Her views were shared by more than 10 JPC members from Mong Kok Police District, who are ethnic miniorities from East Asia Region. They considered the annual award scheme could further enhance their knowledge of local laws. They also noted that members could assist in the publicity work by bringing home fight crime messages.

In the Best JPC Leader category, veteran member Mr Pang Ka-lung from Wong Tai Sin was voted the Best Leader of the year.

He said: "During leadership training activities, I can share my precious experience with others. It's rewarding for me to see other people improve themselves. I can also learn how to cope with other people from this. All these are precious experiences for me in my work or for my future."

He said he learned how to appreciate other people's views through taking part in such activities. "Even though you are a JPC leader and you have decision-making powers, you still have to listen to other people's views, however good or bad they may be."

District Selection Board Chairman, Woman Chief Inspector Ms Chan Yuet-ngor, said Mr Pang's greatest contribution was that he maintained a relationship with JPC by a group of students who no longer studied in Wong Tai Sin.

Mr Pang, now a serving Police Constable, said that what he learned from JPC could benefit his work. "The leadership skills that I learned help me with my Police work and make me more mature in handling different situations," he added.

Awards for 80 JPC members and groups