Planning and executing a large-scale operation always poses a major challenge and considerable stress for police officers no matter they are the coordinator of the operation or Junior Police Officers tasked with execution of the operation. The main objective of the new series the Psychological Services Group (PSG) and Staff Relations Group (SRG) started running from this issue of OffBeat, is to find out how the officers have tackled these problems and their wisdom related to major operations.

PSG and SRG hope that the series would provide Force members with food for thought by interviewing officers who have taken part in large-scale operations. The first officers to share their experiences and observations related to large-scale operations with PSG and SRG are Superintendent Mak Kwai-sing from Service Quality Wing and Sergeant Chan Chi-wai from Kowloon City Division. Both officers are no strangers to major operations.

SP Mak has taken part in many major operations in various capacities, including those dealing with riots by Vietnamese boat people in refugee camps in Whitehead and High Island Detention Centre in 1994/5. SGT Chan took part in the security operation in connection with the visit to Hong Kong by the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Mr Wu Bangguo, in 2006 for an international conference, ITU Telecom World.

The latest major operation, in which SP Mak played a key role, was policing of a Parliamentary Conference in a Hung Hom hotel, the meeting being part of the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in late 2005. As the Chairman of the Kowloon City District Coordination Committee, he was responsible for setting up a Command and Control Centre in an office building, the whole security arrangement and the logistics of the policing operation. This operation has given him a valuable experience and a long lasting memory.

The operation has also dawned on him that it was essential for a coordinator or field commander of a major operation "to know yourself and other people". By his definition, the other people are the officers executing a major operation on the frontline and the other stakeholders of the operation from all sectors, including members of the public and potential protesters.

"A coordinator or field commander should not just focus on the hardware and forget about the people. He or she has so many logistics to look after that it is absolutely necessary for them to clearly understand the needs of frontline officers and other stakeholders. It's only with a good understanding that you can plan and coordinate a major operation successfully," he explained.

Apart from appreciating other stakeholders' needs and the roles they can play, SP Mak continued, it is equally important to secure their full support and co-operation by setting a common goal for a large-scale operation. "There are no better ways to get the support and co-operation than maintaining effective communication and close working relationship with stakeholders," he noted.

"If you already have built up good relations with the local community, this will definitely be a big help for planning and carrying out a major operation," he added.

He also pointed out that in securing local support for a major operation, the police often had to explain to the local community during the planning stage why the operation was necessary and what the operation aimed to achieve. During these efforts, the police sometimes had to reach a consensus on some issues about the operation with the local community.

SP Mak then went on to list the important points a field commander had to bear in mind when executing a major operation: frontline officers have to be briefed on the roles they have to play; their needs should be addressed such as proper rest arrangements and facilities; they should be given clear and concise instructions so that they can respond to changes, and, more importantly, should be given flexibility to make their own decisions on the spot. Moreover, their mistakes, if any, should be handled constructively.

"Field commanders should have confidence and faith in their men and women in getting their job done. A good commander should try his best to motivate his officers to work to the best of their ability, and to work with team spirit," he said.

Challenges and stress of major operations

Both SP Mak and SGT Chan agreed that a field commander and a frontline officer faced different challenges and stress during a major operation.

For SP Mak, challenge and stress mainly stem from facing uncertainty; working in a volatile situation; making a decision or option in the best interests of the operation; and committing himself to the operation.

For SGT Chan as a frontline officer, the contributing factors of challenge and stress are the long duration of a major operation; fast and effective response to unexpected happenings; worries of officers' personal safety by their families; and lack of faith and care for officers on the part of their superiors.

He pointed out that after a large-scale operation, unfavorable comments by the media on police performances in the operation also brought stress to officers. "After trying their best to get the job done, officers naturally don't want to hear negative feedback and unfair comments. Support and encouragement by the Force management would minimise the impact this kind of down side might cause on officers," he noted.

Speaking of what should be done after a large-scale operation, SP Mak said a field commander should sing praises and give recognition where they deserved. A commander should also seek feedback on the operation from the local community and other stakeholders, and sustain close ties with the community in the interests of future operations.

Job satisfaction

For SP Mak and SGT Chan, a successful operation does bring job satisfaction to officers.

"When you started planning from nothing and finally saw your mission accomplished, the feelings were great, especially when your men and women had come up with great teamwork under your leadership," he noted.

"Frontline officers appreciate what they had contributed to a successful operation was only a small part. It was also an essential part, just like a cog in a machine. If the cog fails to function, the whole machine might break down. Recognition and a pat on the back by the management, as well as a fair assessment by the community would also bring a lot of satisfaction to officers," said SGT Chan.

Comments by PSG

One can feel the enthusiasm of SP Mak and SGT Chan when listening to their experiences of large-scale operations. Being a commanding officer of a large-scale operation, SP Mak started from "zero" and strove for successful completion of the operation, deriving valuable knowledge and experience. For instance, his idea of "to know yourself and other people" embodied some of the important elements of a good leader:

"Know Other People"

The success of an operation relies on a team with high morale, which is nurtured by a leader who realises and addresses the needs of his or her followers. SP Mak's idea of "empowerment" was a good example in this aspect. Recognising his followers' needs of being supported and trusted, SP Mak empowered his staff by delegating authority to them to make decisions on the frontline. He also understood very well that the way a leader handled subordinates' mistakes could have a long-term impact on the performance and even the morale of the whole team. Instead of blaming them severely on the spot, more constructive approaches such as suitable guidance, fair and reasonable reward and discipline are more likely to motivate the followers to take active steps to improve.

"Know Yourself" - Proper emotional regulation

Emotional regulation is a must for leaders to effectively deal with unexpected changes and to maintain the morale of the team throughout a large-scale operation. Knowing one's ability and limits is necessary for regulating negative emotion. SP Mak's practice on "body, mind, spirit" was an all-round strategy on emotional regulation.

SGT Chan's sharing was also a good reference for frontline officers who will take part in large-scale operations.

Expect the unexpected and be flexible

SGT Chan pointed out that no matter how well prepared you were, unexpected changes and confusion were not uncommon in large-scale operations. Frontline officers should expect the unexpected and appreciate that flexibility is the key to dealing with contingency. SGT Chan's humble but not self-demeaning attitude towards his role of being a cog in a machine was particularly noteworthy. It is important for officers to be able to validate his or her own values and the meaning in the mission so that they can maintain a high degree of professionalism in spite of the unfavorable response from the media and community.

SP Mak (right) and SGT Chan would like to share their experiences of major operations with Force members