Sergeant Hasman Chan Wai-sing from the Task Force Sub-unit of Waterfront Division is one of the many Force members pursuing lifelong learning in their free time. He has been studying a Professional Diploma in Disciplinary Force Management at the Hong Kong Management Association since March last year.

A desire to strengthen his management skills and broaden his vision about other disciplinary forces, plus the Government's encouragement to civil servants to pursue lifelong learning, has prompted Hasman to take up his part-time studies. As Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, his first priority of learning is to brush up his proficiency in English for his day-to-day contacts with the local international community. He says the course is providing the training he needs.

Hasman finds the module on "English Communication Skills" of his course useful and interesting, and would not hesitate to recommend the course to his colleagues.

He told OffBeat: "Almost 20 years after leaving school, it was at the outset a bit difficult for me to catch up with my studies, but with the help of an experienced lecturer, good teaching methods and a relaxing and friendly atmosphere in the classroom, I am making good progress in both oral and written English. And I have become more confident in using English in my daily work."

Hasman pointed out that his course provided a variety of instruction useful to police work. This includes giving prepared and impromptu talks; handling telephone calls in a report room; giving street directions to overseas visitors; describing a suspect; making a physical description from a witness; gathering precise information from a witness; taking statements from a witness or victim; and writing case summary and brief facts. He is confident that with these different types of training he would be more capable of delivering quality services to the public.

Finally, Hasman called on his fellow officers to avail themselves of the various types of reimbursement for course schemes offered by the Government, and those under the External Management Training Sponsorship Scheme and Short Local Course Scheme.

More example of lifelong learning

They unanimously agreed that the course would help develop their police work.

According to the Hong Kong Management Association records, some 3,000 serving police officers have completed their special courses over the years.

Officers discuss their part-time studies at the Hong Kong Management Association