Their dreams have come true!
Inspector (IP) Jack Wang Lam and Woman Inspector (WIP) Ling Fung Wai-ling were among the 21 Inspectors in the passing-out parade held on July 23. It was in fact the second time they had marched past the reviewing stand together, the last time being October 7, 2002 when they both were Recruit Police Constables (RPC).
After eight years of service in the Force, both Jack and Ling found their own pathways to success and were appointed Probationary Inspectors (PI) on November 15 last year. Completion of the 36-week PI Foundation Training marks a new chapter in their careers.
Jack and Ling's stories both started in 2002. Upon Form 7 graduation, Jack was accepted by a local university but choose to join the Force to realise his childhood dream of being a police officer to serve the community. In the last eight years, he has developed his operational competency by working in the Patrol Sub-unit of Wong Tai Sin Division, Police Tactical Unit, Emergency Unit of Kowloon East and lastly, a month before his inspectorate appointment, the Joint Financial Intelligence Unit.
Likewise, Ling joined the Force as RPC after obtaining her Bachelor Degree in Chemical Technology in Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She has served in the Patrol Sub-unit of Yuen Long Division, Police Tactical Unit, Quick Reaction Force of New Territories North, Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) and Recruitment Division.
Get well prepared
What have they done in the last eight years to equip themselves to become a PI? Jack reckoned that good working attitude and performance were the keys to earn the recognition of his senior officers in EU KE who recommended him to join the Potential Officer Scheme. "After joining the scheme, I tried to expose myself to different job opportunities. I was lucky enough to have guidance from my bosses on tackling problems and improving my police knowledge. With a widened vision, I then set a higher career goal for myself. At the same time, I realised my deficiency and so I enrolled in a part-time Bachelor Degree programme in Psychology at the Upper Iowa University.
For Ling, her interest in the police work grew after joining the Force. She takes police job as her lifelong career. Encouraged by her senior officers, Ling applied for the PI post via the Direct Application Avenue for JPOs. "Although I got a degree when I joined the Force, I found my English proficiency not good enough to pass the PI selection. I therefore took some English presentation and public speaking courses. In addition, in order to brush up my presentation skills and confidence, I also grasped the opportunities to act as master of ceremony in several major publicity events when I worked in PPRB."
Would it be easier for them to settle down in the intensive PI Foundation Training Course after working as PCs for eight years? Both Jack and Ling agreed that their police knowledge and working experience as a PC allowed them to settle down quickly in the course. But they said the credit should go to their Course Director, Chief Inspector Melinda Fong, and all the training staff who offered guidance to them. "Through various kinds of training, Madam Fong and the staff raised our professionalism and at the same time developed our potential. They led us with examples and helped us overcome challenges," said Jack and Ling.
Ling has been awarded the Commissioner's Certificate of Academic Merit for her outstanding academic performance in the Foundation Training course.
Ready for new challenges
Jack and Ling are now working at
North Point and Kwai Chung Division respectively as Patrol Sub-unit
Commanders. Are they ready to face the forthcoming challenges? They
share this view: "As Patrol Sub-unit Commanders, we expect a lot of new
challenges but we will remain humble and keep on learning. We will also
get ourselves prepared for everything. Leading the sub-unit, we will
maintain good communication with our colleagues to understand their
needs. If they come across any problems, we will render our best
assistance."They have tips for officers who are also working hard for advancement to PI. "It is better to accumulate police knowledge. Abundant police information can be found in the Police Intranet. For matters not related to my current duties, I still study them hard because they may be useful someday," said Jack. Ling also said: "Being a 'Degree holder' would not guarantee success. I hope my advice would inspire them to set a clear goal and discover and overcome their shortcomings. I believe chances are open only for those who are well prepared."
Amongst the 150 PIs appointed in financial year 2010-11, 35 of them were Junior Police Officers appointed via various channels, including Direct Application Avenue for JPOs, Potential Officer Scheme and the Selected Appointment Scheme. As the PCs recruited in recent years possess higher academic qualifications, Superintendent Ho Kin-man of Recruitment Division encourages those who aspire to becoming PI to get better equipped through dedication to duty and personal development. 'You will make it some day," he said.
Ling
and Jack have scored a major breakthrough for their careers with the
Force