Inspector Mak Wing-yin of Commercial Crime Bureau, the first police officer in Hong Kong to win the Arthur Troop Scholarship awarded by the International Police Association (IPA), has attended a professional seminar at IPA's International Conference Centre at Gimborn, Germany.

Named after the IPA founder, Arthur Troop, the scholarship is awarded each year to five young and promising IPA members all over the world, usually one each from Asia, Australia, America, Africa and Europe. In 2006, IP Mak became the first police officer in Hong Kong to win the prize for Asia.

The scholarship fully subsidised IP Mak's attendance at the professional conference held at the Gimborn Castle for the one-week seminar conducted by police experts for the chosen subjects. The subject IP Mak attended was "Anti-social Behaviour" which is quite a European-wide phenomenon as well as a challenge for Police, community and social organisations.

The 40 participants of the course came from over 10 countries, including Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Sri Lanka.

"The Gimborn Castle was built in a discreet manner and was maintained in an excellent condition. For instance, no matter how hot the weather was, you would stay cool inside the castle building without air-conditioning. It was an unforgettable experience to live and study in such a traditional castle," said IP Mak.

At the seminar, police officers from the UK and Germany having ample experience in policing over "Anti-social Behaviour", made presentations on this subject, the situation in their countries, and measures implemented by their enforcement agencies.

"It is interesting to know that some cities, like Birmingham of the United Kingdom, have Anti-social Behaviour Order to forbid those who have committed anti-social behaviours, like breach of peace, graffiti and criminal damage, etc. from entering or staying in some public places again within some specific time," IP Mak pointed out.

Close to the end of the seminar programme, IPA Headquarters also organised a half-day tour of Cologne, the city where the World Cup was held in 2006. During the tour, the course participants visited the Police Headquarters of Cologne and attended a briefing given by the Deputy Commissioner of the Cologne Police on the general policing in his city.

Summing up his study tour, IP Mak said: "The scholarship offered me an opportunity to attend an international policing seminar. Throughout the exchange of information and discussion, I not only raised my exposure to an international level in policing but also had the opportunity to share my experience and viewpoints on the chosen topics, hence enhancing my thinking process and horizon.

"From the Force's and IPA Hong Kong SAR Section's perspective, my participation at the international seminar in Gimborn is something quite remarkable in that I'm the first person in Hong Kong to attend the seminar in the capacity of Asia Winner of IPA Arthur Troop Scholarship. I would like to encourage IPA members of Hong Kong SAR Section to apply for the scholarship."

IP Mak receives his certificate of attendance from the President of the Gimborn Castle