Crime Officer Mentorship Programme
takes a big step forward
Since the Crime Officer Mentorship Programme was launched in July last year, a total of 82 Police Constables who had recently passed out from Police College have been recruited as Mentees, marking a big step forward for the programme. Under the guidance by experienced detective officers as their Mentors, the Mentees will embark on a career development journey to the crime stream.
Impressed by the progress of the mentorship programme, Chief Superintendent (Crime Headquarters) Yu Mun-sang hopes the full support and co-operation for the programme would enable valuable crime investigation experience to be passed on to the new generation of the Force. In his view, frontline management may consider mapping out plans for Mentees to get early exposure to crime work and pave the way for their career development in the crime stream.
In a ceremony held at Police Sports and Recreation Club on December 10, Mr Yu presented certificates of appointment, signed by Assistant Commissioner (Crime) Lo Mung-hung, to 55 Mentors and 57 Mentees.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Yu said: “By taking part in the mentorship programme’s different activities, Mentees would get a better idea of crime duties and build up a solid foundation for their career development. Enhancing their communication skills and critical thinking is also the emphasis of the programme, which helps equip them for early detective training and subsequent attachment to crime units.”
Views on programme
After the ceremony, the Deputy Head Mentor, Assistant Head Mentors, Mentors in-charge, Mentors and Mentees spoke about their views on the mentorship programme.
Deputy Head Mentor, Witness Protection Unit Detective Chief Inspector Lo Ting-hei, said: “The programme is supported by a cohort of passionate and devoted Mentors, who are using their free time to guide their Mentees in police duties, interpersonal relationship and career development. This would help newly recruited officers settle down early in their jobs, and develop a sense of belonging to the Force.”
An Assistant Head Mentor, Narcotics Bureau Financial Investigations Detective Senior Inspector Cheung Hang-fai, pointed out that under the leadership of the Head Mentor, Woman Superintendent Yuen Suet-fan, the programme had developed, in a matter of four months and with only five core members, into “a big family” of 200 members, comprising 19 Mentors I/C, 100 Mentors and 82 Mentees. Comparing the first Mentee recruitment exercise with the third one, the number of recruit Police Constables applying for joining as Mentees had increased from 25 per cent to over 42 per cent.
Commented another Assistant Head Mentor, Child Protection Policy Unit Woman Detective Senior Inspector Au Yeung Sze-wan: “Beside visits and knowledge sharing activities coordinated by the management team, Mentors I/C will also organise different theme-based seminars and experience sharing sessions in their Regions and Districts.”
Being a frontline manager and a former instructor in detective training, a Mentor I/C, New Territories North Regional Crime Unit Detective Chief Inspector Chan Chiu-chin, stressed the importance of mentoring in crime stream and described a Mentor’s role as “beacons” for imparting investigation knowledge to the new generation. “Mentors also act as role models, teach criminal investigations, and show the proper attitude of a crime officer,” he added.
For one of the Mentors, New Territories North Regional Crime Unit Detective Sergeant Chan Shui-kwan, a good mentor should get to know his or her Mentees better. He explained: “This is because Mentees are junior in service and are facing new things and challenges at the workplace. They need advice, support and encouragements at all times.”
His Mentee, Police Constable (PC) Mo Hung-shing from a Patrol Sub-Unit in Sheung Shui Division, recalled: “At the beginning, I felt a bit uneasy for having an experienced detective officer as my Mentor. But gradually he became a coach and treated me like my father, sharing his experiences of making notebook entries, stop and question, and search of suspects, etc. This made me more confident in discharging my day-to-day duties. He also took me to Crime Formations to see various facilities. Such exposure enabled me to know more about the structure and work of crime units.”
Another Mentor, Kowloon West Regional Intelligence Unit Detective Sergeant (DSGT) Yu Kai-ming, shares the view that it is important to know a Mentee better. In order to understand more about his Mentee, PC Leung Ka-chun from a Patrol Sub-unit in Mong Kok District, DSGT Yu, together with a Mentor I/C, Narcotics Bureau Operations Detective Senior Inspector Cheng Chun-kit, went to see PC Leung’s supervisor. The supervisor offered full support for the mentorship programme, enabling DSGT Yu to plan for PC Leung’s career development.
Thanking his Mentor and Mentor I/C for their guidance and support, PC Leung said: “They actively and patiently coached me in various areas of work. They also look after my career development needs.”
The mentorship programme aims to recruit 200 Mentees within two years. Both Mentors and Mentees would remain committed to passing on the professional knowledge of crime investigation to the new generation, and perpetuate the mission and fine tradition of the crime steam.
Chief
Superintendent
(Crime Headquarters) Yu Mun-sang presents Certificate of
Participation to Mentees