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In love with Traffic Police

A busy and crowded city like Hong Kong would grind to a halt if it were not for the work of Traffic Police. Traffic policemen play a pivotal role in maintaining a smooth flow of traffic and preventing traffic accidents. Riding on Police motorbikes, they work outdoors during typhoons, in heavy rains, or under a hot sun. Weather changes, but their love of 'Traffic' will not change. Some request transfers to Traffic even after a posting out while others continue to serve with pride in their daily work. OffBeat talked to four police officers who currently or formerly working in the New Territories South (NTS) Traffic -Senior Inspector Mr Andy Livesey, Station Sergeant Mr Hau Sze-chuen and Sergeants Mr Patrick Lai Kwok-wa and Mr Lee Kin-kuen, and asked them why they are so dedicated to this meaningful yet demanding job.

Stay alert in all weathers

Traffic policemen go out in all weathers. For Station Sergeant Mr Hau Sze-chuen, it is a true description of his work and inclement weather never stops him from carrying out his duties.

The patrol zone of NTS Traffic covers a significant part of Hong Kong, from Mei Foo to Tuen Mun, and from Tsing Yi to Tai Mo Shan. The large number of trees and hillsides in the area usually add to the burden of Traffic Police in times of bad weather.

Mr Hau said: "One day, I was on duty when the Typhoon Signal No 8 was up. Wind was strong and it was raining like cats and dogs. The streets were flooding badly. To ensure a smooth traffic flow, I had to remove debris on top of drainage channels and clear fallen trees. Worse still, some cars were stranded in the middle of the road because of flooding. I rushed to help the people inside and pulled children out of the cars to safe locations."

Having worked in Traffic for about 10 years, he still loves his work. Because of his enthusiasm, he was promoted to Sergeant in 1990, and was further promoted to Station Sergeant early this year, both of the times he was working in Traffic.

"I never find this job boring," he said. "It's really very interesting, and I love the sense of freedom. The patrol zone of beat policemen is relatively smaller than that of traffic policemen. When I ride on a Police bike, I feel that I am free.

"I do encourage other police officers to join the Traffic team. Traffic work can widen their horizons and experience. It is a good chance for them to learn more and get to know how to operate equipment such as laser guns."

Traffic duties have given him some unforgettable memories. Even now, he still remembers the busy patrol work during the construction of the new airport.

"In 1997, I was one of the two sergeants working in the Road Management Office and a large number of the core projects in the Airport Core Programme were in Lantau. My colleague and I had to work night and day to ensure a smooth traffic flow. You can imagine how big the workload was! Upon the completion of the airport, I had to help in the removal of the airport from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok. When I saw the first plane touch down at the new airport, I was very happy especially because I had worked so hard for the last few years," he said.

Noting that his family fully supported him in his work, Mr Hau said: "Being a policeman is a life-long career. Every job has a certain degree of danger and Police are no exception. Working in a Patrol Sub-unit and in Traffic both have a certain level of danger - there is no real difference."

Keen to face changes

After working in various posts like beat patrol, task force and anti-narcotics, Mr Lee Kin-kuen thought it was time for a change. Because of an interest in Traffic work, he asked for transfer to NTS in April 2000. Since then, he has been working in the Enforcement and Control Division.

"After so many years of beat patrol work, I wanted to try something new and work in a new division," he said.

He said Traffic Police gave him greater flexibility at work. "The work of a Traffic policeman isn't limited to a small area. Although I have to handle vehicles every day, every day is different. Every traffic accident is different. I feel very happy when working with other colleagues."

Mr Lee also derives a sense of satisfaction from his work, as it is a way to help many members of the public.

"I am not the kind of person that likes to issue penalty tickets. When I spot minor breaches of traffic laws, I will intercept the drivers and explain to them the reasons for the interception and hope they won't do it again. It is no exaggeration that this can save their lives. After they fully understand the reason for the interception, they do thank me," he said.

According to Mr Lee, working in Traffic has several advantages. "When I was a Police Constable, I had many more chances to act in the rank of Sergeant. Also, because of the low traffic volume at night, I didn't have to work on night shift very often. Therefore, I could sharpen my knowledge by taking up some evening courses."

His hard work, and study, finally paid off. On January 3, the 29-year-old Police Constable was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, the first time he was recommended for the Force Promotion Board.

Riding on his Police bike, Mr Lee finds it hard to hide his feeling when he sees other motorcyclists getting killed in traffic accidents. "Sometimes, they died not because of their own fault but through the negligence of another driver. Their bodies were hurt badly.

"If they were speeding, they might deserve it. But if, suddenly, a car rams into them from the opposite lane, they cannot be blamed. That's why it is vital to enforce the law to protect all road users."

Every day a challenging day

Senior Inspector Mr Andy Livesey became the officer-in-charge of the Task Force seven months ago and has worked in Traffic for three years. His interest in Traffic work prompted him to ask for transfer to the division.

"It's not boring on Monday," he said. "Traffic hasn't got a routine to it. Really. The weather has a major effect on traffic conditions. Some days there are a lot of traffic accidents. Some days there aren't any. It's different every day."

For Mr Livesey, each day is a new start and every day is a challenge. His main responsibilities, in a nutshell, involve everything relating to traffic, from law enforcement actions to special operations.

He likes to work in traffic not only because he enjoys the feeling of freedom that his motorbike gives him, but also because the job is rewarding.

He said Traffic Police are not restricted to issuing penalty tickets and also have many opportunities to help the public. For examples: when their vehicle breaks down on the highway; when they are involved in traffic accidents; when they are injured people who need medical assistance.

"When people are stopped by an officer and given tickets, they feel, a little bit like criminals," he said. "The main reason we give them tickets is for safety - for other road users' safety - and for education, and to raise driving standards throughout Hong Kong."

Accident probe: a battle of wits

Though Sergeant Mr Patrick Lai Kwok-wa was posted out of Traffic some time ago, he still misses the days when he had to make painstaking investigations into the causes of traffic accidents.

Having worked in Accident Investigation (AI) for three years, he said: "The work of AI was similar to the work of the Criminal Investigation Department, especially when irresponsible drivers leave the scene of the accident and park their vehicles in other places.

"And it isn't uncommon for both parties involved in a traffic accident to tell lies. Therefore, we have to think, analyse and act fairly."

He recalled: "In one case, immediately after an accident a driver left the scene and then reported to the Police that somebody had stolen his car. Based on the limited clues available, I checked with car parks and investigated the possible driving routes of the car. Finally, I proved that he was lying. The man was later arrested and he pleaded guilty to a charge of misleading Police officer."

Mr Lai had plenty of experience in handling various serious traffic accidents including the four-coach collision on Route 3 on March 15, 2002, during which 108 people sustained injuries.

"My colleagues and I worked as a team but one in which there was a division of labour. We gathered evidence from witnesses and afterwards, by putting it all together, we were able to reconstruct the case and map out exactly what happened."

Being an investigating officer also helps to improve his communication skills, he said: "We had to meet and discuss matters with people from all walks of life. Some drivers were not very well educated and when describing an incident they easily and often got confused.

"Talking to such people is a sure way to improve your communication skills. I am sure it was good communication skills that ensured my promotion to Sergeant last year," he added.

Senior Inspector Mr Andy Livesey