Balance in Law Enforcement III - Career Stages
Officers put work and family on equal footing
Senior Inspector Ma Yun-hien and Station Sergeant Lau Yung-kan never put their families second; during their long service in the Force, they endeavoured to put family and work on equal footing, and to strike a balance between the two.
Due to retire in a few months' time, they told Staff Relations Group (SRG) and Psychological Services Group (PSG) during an interview that they would adhere to their principles even after retirement.
At the same time, the officers wished to drive home the importance for parents to provide good upbringing for their children. In particular, SIP Ma lamented the harm that gambling could bring to a family.
Family care pays off
Apparently their devotion to family has paid off - SIP Ma's daughter is studying for her doctoral degree and his university graduate son is gainfully employed, while SSGT Lau's son is an Inspector with the Force and his daughter is an ophthalmic expert at the Hong Kong Eye Hospital.
With devotion to duty and work, as well as wisdom of life, both officers have had a rewarding career in the Force.
SIP Ma was pleased that his approach to work and responsibilities, as well as his flair for Chinese calligraphy had earned him respect from colleagues over the past 26 years.
SSGT Lau said he thoroughly enjoyed his 30-year posting in the Marine Region, as well as his long association with the Junior Police Officers' Association (JPOA) in fighting for what JPOs rightly deserved.
SIP Ma had already developed an interest in calligraphy before joining the Force as a Probationary Inspector in 1978, and started seriously pursuing this form of Chinese art in the first year after leaving Police Training School. He said his artistic pursuit had helped him cope with the stress of shift duties and the different jobs he had undertaken.
Promoting calligraphy
A strong advocate of a healthy lifestyle, SIP Ma said he had endeavoured to promote calligraphy among Force members. He, therefore, had served for many years as Chairman of the Hong Kong Police Painting and Calligraphy Club, before stepping down recently to assume the post of consultant with the club. He has also won awards in calligraphy from the Mainland and the former Urban Services Department.
For SIP Ma, calligraphy is not only an "enlightening" pursuit, enabling him to brush up knowledge of Chinese culture, literature and philosophy through research and exchanges with calligraphy experts, but also helps him take an open-minded view of fame, career achievements, setbacks of life and promotion.
"The biggest satisfaction for me is that calligraphy has brought me a sense of achievement, and earned me respect from colleagues and my family," he noted.
Joining the Marine Region was SSGT Lau's own choice. He made known this preference to recruiting officers when he submitted his application, and was posted to the Region immediately after leaving PTS. With hard work and conscientiousness to duties, he earned promotion to Sergeant about 12 years later, and to Station Sergeant three years afterwards.
The "three days on and one day off" duty roster had not prevented SSGT Lau from joining the JPOA as a founder member in 1977. Since then he has played an active role in furthering the welfare of JPOs as an Executive Committee Member.
"My association with the JPOA has been quite an experience. I have learned a lot of things and broadened my horizon. The impression I have got is as long as our views and requests are reasonable, the Force and the Government will listen to us," he noted.
Retirement plans
Talking about their forthcoming retirements, both officers vowed that they would not idle away their time. Both are also keen for exploring the scenic and historical spots on the Mainland after retirement.
As regards work after retirement, both officers stressed the importance of continuing to engage in some kind of work after retirement to keep their spirit.
SIP Ma said teaching calligraphy is an option, but having taken cookery as another hobby, he might consider opening a small coffee/tea house or "a place where I can combine my own recipe with calligraphy".
SSGT Lau, however, is less ambitious. "I wish to find a job with less pressure and, failing that, to do some volunteer work," he said.
Though being able to take things easy now, both officers stressed they would not put their families second even after retirement, when they spoke of their wisdom of life.
SIP Ma emphasised that communication with family and good upbringing for one's children were as important as work. In particular, he stressed the importance of staying financially prudent, and loathed indulgence in gambling.
"The way you spend your spare time could change your life. Find something meaningful to occupy your spare time. At work, discharge your duties to the best of your ability and get your jobs done. After work, take care of your family and children. Then you will win the respect of your colleagues and family," SIP Ma advised.
Sharing SIP Ma views, SSGT Lau pointed out that his wife had even given up her job to stay at home to look after their children.
Observing that some colleagues did not take family life seriously, he said spending "quality time" with children, particularly during their adolescences, was vital to their development.
Comments by PSG
Both SIP Ma and SSGT Lau are now in the final stage of their police career. Police officers at this stage tend to have a more realistic view of their job and of their own limitations. One big challenge for them is to maximise their potentials within limitations so that they can catch up with the rapid development in modern society and stay enthusiastic in their work and life. Colleagues who adjust smoothly in this stage usually go beyond their need for achievement at work and look for other alternatives to satisfy their personal goals and needs for emotional gratification. SIP Ma's devoted efforts to promote Chinese calligraphy in the Force, SSGT Lau's hearty contributions to the work of JPOA, and their involvement in family life, gave us a good real-life example. These experiences were so rewarding that their horizon was broadened and the satisfaction obtained has helped to balance the stress of work.
Another major challenge is to leave the Force when reaching the age of retirement. Both SIP Ma and SSGT Lau are well prepared for the changes of their forthcoming retirement. Yet, retirement can be a stressful event to police officers, who usually have strong identification with their police role. To most of our colleagues "police" is not only a job, but also an identity that they are proud of. The transition from being a policeman to an average citizen can be difficult. Without uniforms, firearms and the warrant card, some retired officers might have feelings of "having lost something" or "I don't know who I am". A pilot study conducted in the States indicated that around 46 per cent of retired police officers felt bored after retirement, 40 per cent missed police work, 20 per cent reported marital difficulties, and 12 per cent were not satisfied with their lives after retirement.
To enjoy retired life, it is important to have adequate pre-planning and preparation for the changes and adjustments in the areas of finance, lifestyle and martial relationship after retirement. A research finding has come up with a number of factors related to the satisfaction of retired life. These include perceived health, stable financial situation, adequate contact with friends, participation in recreational activities and positive attitude to retirement.
The last is not the least. Using wisdom in adjusting to changes, police officers are able to lead a prosperous and contented life in the latter years of their career, and even turn a new page in their life after retirement.
Seek advice and help from the Psychological Services Group: 2866-6206 (5th floor, 111 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay). PEN: psg@police.gov.hk
(All cases will be kept in strict confidence.)
For SSGT Lau, retirement is just a new chapter in life