Hong Kong has been chosen as a co-host city of the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympics Equestrian Events, which will be held in the next two months. Ensuring public order and safety during the Events will pose a new challenge to the officers involved.

Maintaining psychological competency and having adequate mental preparation in the face of an operation are no less important than the necessary planning and training. The Psychological Services Group (PSG) has therefore started disseminating useful information and messages through multi-modal platforms to help officers attain proper psychological preparation necessary for the upcoming large-scale operation. Amongst all, PSG has recently conducted a briefing session titled "Enhancing Psychological Quality to Face the Large-scale Operations" to more than 700 officers as part of the training programme for the Venue Task Force and Quick Reaction Force. The contents of the session covered the following areas:

Self-care

Past experiences show that fatigue is a great challenge for police officers facing large-scale operations. Good pre-operation preparation (e.g. enhancing and maintaining physical fitness, and making arrangements with family members and in personal life) and proper self-care during the operation (e.g. allocating time for relaxation, proper rest and sleep) are effective ways to manage fatigue. Moreover, the hot summer weather may accelerate exhaustion. Police officers are therefore recommended to adopt proper methods to prevent heat stress, for example, drinking water regularly to prevent dehydration, resting in a cool place from time to time, and learning to recognise the symptoms of and manage heat exhaustion.

Expectancy management

Realistic pre-incident expectations are just like receiving a "psychological inoculation" that can enhance officers' psychological preparedness for large-scale operations. For realistic expectations, one should pay attention to gathering sufficient information, such as those on action plans of an operation, designated roles and duties of an operation, conditions of the venue, risks of public order events and terrorist attack, as well as other potential stressors. Remaining vigilant and flexible to situational changes is another important key to coping with contingencies.

Team spirit

Good team spirit can enhance the morale and stress resilience of officers. Every member of a team should be committed to his or her role, be trustworthy, be supportive and understanding in order to strengthen team cohesion. Proactive leadership with clear instructions and effective communication channels, proper reassurance and recognition from senior officers are also important for enhancing team morale.

Developing self-recognition and maintaining professionalism

Maintaining a positive attitude and acknowledging one's effort for and contribution to an operation can minimise negative emotions, and help maintain a healthy mental state. Being able to participate in a large-scale operation at an international level is an important milestone in a police career. The smooth running of the equestrian events and the related police operation depends on the commitment and sensitivity of every officer. Criticism from various sources is inevitable in certain cases no matter how well officers have done. Reminding oneself the importance of professionalism may help one take criticisms a little bit easier.

Recognising stress and seeking assistance

It is normal to feel stressful when facing large-scale operations. However, some people may develop acute stress symptoms after encountering overwhelming events or crisis situations. Under such circumstances, officers are advised to render support and assistance to their colleagues in order to minimise any negative impacts. Contact PSG direct (office hour: 2866-6206; 24-hour urgent psychological services: 9460-0514) if psychological support services are required.