Commissioner Tang King-shing received the Bramshill International Leadership in Policing Award at the inaugural Alumni Dinner of the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) in the UK on September 27, the first overseas officer presented with such award.

The award recognises Mr Tang's own leadership achievements since attending an Intermediate Command Course at the Bramshill Police Staff College in 1989, and the rapport that exists between the Force and the UK Police Services.

The two officers who have been previously acknowledged by the award are Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the former Chief Constable of Northern Ireland and the current Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, and Madam Pauline Clare, who is the first woman Chief Constable in the UK.

The Alumni Dinner was organised by the NPIA in conjunction with the high-powered Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), and with the support of the UK Home Office and the Association of Police Authorities (APA) to recognise leadership in policing and to promote leadership of police services through personal role models.

Launched on April 1 this year, the NPIA takes over the responsibilities of the Police Information Technology Organisation and Centrex, the former police training and development authority, as well as some ACPO and Home Office functions. The NPIA has become a one-stop shop for improvement projects associated with policing in the UK, from police recruitment and training to forensics, DNA database and digital communications.

Being one of the major training sites of the NPIA, Bramshill is a place where many senior police leaders, commissioners and high calibre officers from the UK and all over the world receive training to advance their careers and leadership roles. As a leading international police training institution, Bramshill has developed an Alumni Board to recognise the achievements of senior police leaders from local and overseas police services through the Bramshill International Leadership in Policing Award, and to serve as an inspiration to others.

During the award ceremony Mr Tang was presented with a framed picture of himself by Chief Constable Mr Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA, who pointed out that the award was to recognise Mr Tang's leadership, professional passion and pride, and the value of the special relationship that exists between the Force and the UK Police Services. An enlarged version of the picture will be displayed in the Nuffield Hall at Bramshill, together with other award winners, members of the Royal Family and senior officials involved in UK policing as a permanent reminder of this special relationship.

During his brief stay in the UK, Mr Tang also found time to visit the Royal College of Defence Studies in London and meet with newly promoted Assistant Commissioner Cheuk Chun-yin, who is attending the 2007 Course at the college to study international relations and strategic global issues that affect the security, stability and prosperity of the whole world.

CP is presented with a framed picture of himself by Mr Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA (right), and Mr Peter Holland, Chairman of the NPIA Board