Having returned from a visit to the Western Australia Police (WAPOL) in Perth, Australia, between Februry 8 and 14 were Chief Inspector Joseph Ngai Shiu-kei and his delegation comprising two senior inspectors, two sergeants and four constables.

Assigned with a study theme on Integrity Management, members of the delegation focussed on the similarities and differences between the Force and the WAPOL in integrity management to compile a comparative study report. Besides attending briefing sessions on integrity management, the members also visited police stations and met frontline officers. The delegation also visited the WAPOL's Operational Control Centre and Forensics Department and took a look at the related police procedures.

The delegation members considered that though the Force and the WAPOL serve different communities, face different challenges and tackle different social problems, they are similar in striving to provide quality services to the public.

Constable Lam Pui-mo, one of the delegation members, said: "I gained much from the training in Perth. The study visit really broadened my horizons and was one of the unforgettable experiences in my police career."

Another member, Sergeant Ng Tak-ming, said after the study visit that he truly believed that integrity management was an important element for policing in every part of the world. Police officers are vested with extensive law enforcement powers and responsibilities. With a view to securing public confidence and meeting reasonable public expectation, police must maintain a high degree of integrity. The collective reputation of the Force can be seriously harmed if only a few fail. He summed up the study visit as impressive, especially the experience-sharing with WAPOL officers and the excellent accommodation environment of their police academy.

For all the delegation members, the study visit provided them with an opportunity not only to learn, but also to share experiences with their Australian counterparters. The pre-visit preparation and the post-visit review helped develop their abilities to face up to future challenges. Moreover, the close and direct contact with their overseas counterparts helped improve their language proficiency and self-confidence.

Visit to New Zealand

Following consultation with the NZP prior to the visit, the study themes were set on NZP's Criminal Intelligence System, Ethnic Policing Strategy, Ethics and Integrity Strategy, and Electronic Bail Monitoring System.

In addition, the NZP also provided lectures on areas covering Responsiveness to Maori and Ethnic Policing Strategy, NZ Criminal Justice System, NZ Police Strategic Direction, Crime Prevention, Road Policing, Youth Issues and Policing, Child Abuse, and International Policing. Classroom lectures on these subjects were augmented by visits to police stations and traffic roadblocks.

CIP O'Neill was very impressed by the NZP's Ethnic Policing Strategy and had submitted his suggestions on how the Force could adopt some of the good practices identified in this increasingly important policing area. In particular these include how NZP actively recruit ethnic minority officers and how ethnic sensitivity training is given to officers at all ranks. Additionally their Ethnic Strategy is extremely wide ranging encompassing all ethnic groups including plans for dealing with the concerns of tourists and overseas students, something which the Force could consider in order to engage all sections of the community.

Visit to Brunei

During the visit, senior RBPF officers and experts from different policing fields shared their vision and expertise during briefings on a variety of policing subjects and local initiatives.

The delegation's study theme was "The Criminal Intelligence Gathering Mechanism in the RBPF". Other discussion topics included criminal investigation, organised crime and community policing. Delegation members also shared experiences with officers of different ranks and backgrounds and gained valuable insights into Brunei's policing and culture.

Speaking of Community Policing Strategy, Police Constable Wong Wai-ki said that establishing a working partnership between the community and the police would forge a relationship of trust, which is vital for crime prevention. In Brunei, leaders of the local communities were encouraged to help fight crime by reporting suspicious characters and activities through a "Neighbourhood Watch Programme".

On the study visit, CIP Baker said: "We had a very interesting and informative trip. We learned a lot about policing in Brunei and were very impressed by their officers' professionalism, friendliness, and the way they shared their experiences with us. All of our officers joined discussions and found the visit not only challenging, but also rewarding in terms of the experience and knowledge gained from exposure to a new policing environment."

Recognising that study visits would enhance officers' personal and professional qualities, the Police College is expected to organise more similar visits in the coming year.

Force delegation members, led by Chief Inspector Steve Baker, meet senior officers of the Royal Brunei Police Force at the Officers' Mess

Officers visit WAPOL Police Academy