Police Civil Secretary (PCS) Stephen Pang King-leung is an experienced officer of the Executive Grade, having worked in more than 10 departments and policy bureaux in the past 33 years. Whenever he transferred to a new post, his maxim was "integration". By his interpretation, "integration" means complete fusion with the new department he was transferring to.

During an interview with the Psychological Services Group (PSG) and the Staff Relations Group for this series, Mr Pang said he adopted this integration approach on the first day he joined the civil service. Subsequently he found the approach worked wherever he transferred to, enabling him to quickly settle down in his new job.

Upon taking up his present posting in April 2004, Mr Pang adopted the same approach without any delay. He had subsequently developed such a strong sense of belonging to the Force that he was very worried when he saw on television Korean protestors storming police cordon lines and the meeting venue and trying to overturn police vehicles during the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in 2005.

"Being a member of the Force, I felt very strongly about the commotions I saw on TV, and hoped the frontline officers would persevere and come through their difficulties. I was very glad that eventually they did. For me the Conference is an unforgettable event because the Force did so well in policing a very important international conference," he noted.

Ways to integrate

Having a great passion for sports, Mr Pang makes the most of the recreational facilities provided for Force members and seldom misses the functions organised by the police sports or arts clubs. On many a Sunday, he tackles rivals on the soccer pitch of the PSRC as the sole civilian member of the Police Officers' Soccer Team.

Mr Pang said he had good reasons for his active participation in Force activities: coming to know more colleagues, extending his personal network and, more importantly, gaining a better idea of the Force's culture and work procedures.

He took the opportunity to speak of his impression of working in the Force: "Everything in the Force is very systematic, and there are a lot of rules and regulations as well as orders for officers and civilians to comply with. Apart from these, the Force is no different from the departments I've worked with. As a matter of fact, the systematic approach the Force takes as well as its rules, regulations and orders are a big help for civilian officers in getting their job done."

Off the soccer pitch, Mr Pang headed for the swimming pool in the evening three or four times a week, and covered a staggering 2,000 metres each time. On other occasions, he left his footprints on many hiking routes in the New Territories - a hobby he picked up while attending Outward Bound courses in the past. What he had in mind while pursuing sporting activities and outings were keeping fit, boosting self-confidence, easing work pressure and leading a balanced life.

Healthy working hours

At this juncture, Mr Pang offered a piece of advice to civilian officers on how to view the tribulations of life. His advice is: "Ups and downs are part of life, but always remain optimistic and keep an open mind about adversity. Always bear in mind that difficulties, just like bad weather, are only temporary and for every cloud there is a silver lining!"

He also called on civilian officers to actively participate in the recreational activities provided by police sports and arts clubs, and support the promotion of a healthy lifestyle within the Force. Being responsible for mounting the territory-wide Healthy Living Campaign while working in the former Health and Welfare Bureau in the late 1990s, Mr Pang knows only too well what benefits the healthy lifestyle promotion, plus the Living-the-Value workshops and seminars and the Physical Fitness and Health Management initiatives, can bring to Force members.

"I'm very impressed with what the Force has been doing for Force members as a caring employer, such as providing the necessary soft and hard wares, as well as support. These will benefit the Force as a whole in the long run!" said Mr Pang.

Civilians happy at work

"Both the civilian and disciplined officers are playing with good teamwork and rapport. The former is playing as defenders or midfielders and supporting the latter on the frontline to get the ball into the goal!" he noted.

Mr Pang pointed out that the civilian officers within the Force were generally a happy lot, though the civilianisation scheme might bring new challenges to some of the civilian officers.

But he said he realised that some newcomers initially had some misgivings about joining a department subject to discipline. But once they adapted to a new working environment as well as the Force's culture and ways of getting the job done, they quickly settled down and found the job to their liking.

"The last couples of years had seen the Force undergoing a lot of changes for good. What the newcomers have heard about the Force before their transfer is outdated and misguided. Therefore we have been running a mentorship programme to help them with their adaptation, transition and integration into the Force," said Mr Pang.

Family harmony

He said he had contributed a lot during his daughters' different stages of growth. He found the process a bitter sweet experience, but gained a lot of satisfaction in watching his children grow up.

After his daughters had reached adolescence, communication came into play. Besides his own efforts, email and Facebook are a big help for Mr Pang to keep in contact with his daughters. During this process, Mr Pang and his daughters developed a common hobby - travelling to see more of the world. They have explored many exotic places, with Mr Pang on the wheel and his elder daughter showing the routes along. They visited North Africa last year and are planning to explore Croatia in the near future.

Comments by PSG

1. To integrate into a new environment, the qualities of openness and flexibility were a must. Resistance to new changes could not help but added a heavy burden on us. Understanding the principle of "the survival of the fittest", we could then embrace new changes by letting go of our old, untimely patterns and replacing them with new knowledge.

2. Although Mr Pang had rich life experiences, his curiosity drove him to take an active approach to explore and understand a new environment. For instance, he knew new colleagues and understood Force culture by actively joining different activities in the Force; he also used Facebook to maintain communication with his daughters. His curiosity and active approach enabled him to easily fuse with every aspect of his life and become proficient no matter on tasks or personnel matters.

3. In adjusting to changes, experiencing pressure and encountering difficulties are inevitable. Mr Pang adopted a very effective strategy in this aspect - a combination of elements including a balanced life, regular exercises, and an optimistic perspective. The effect of these elements acted like a protective shield enhancing Mr Pang's physical and psychological resilience and fitness while facing the down side of life.

Police Civil Secrestary Pang King-Leung pointed out that it was important to actively take part in both official and unofficial activities

Mr Pang gained a lot of satisfaction in watching his children grow up

He has covered many essential points about life, work, family and health