Officers on recipe for attempting promotion exam
Thirty regular police officers and four auxiliary police officers pulled off outstanding results in the 2012 Promotion to Sergeant Qualifying Examination.
Among the regular officers, Police Constables (PC) Mak Chi-leung of Special Duties Squad 2, Tuen Mun District, Ho Tze-him of Patrol Sub-unit 3 Sheung Shui Division, Kong Lai-shan of Patrol Sub-unit 1 Castle Peak Division, Chung Wai-kit of Miscellaneous Sub-unit Tuen Mun Division, Lam Chak-hung of Emergency Unit Hong Kong Island and Hui Hing-cheung of Emergency Unit Kowloon West, have scored "Distinction" in the qualifying exam. For them, effort and early preparation were the keys to their success in the exam.
Effort pays off
The officers point out that they sat for the exam to pave the way for their future, promotion and higher pay. During the course of preparation, they discovered that exam revision brought new knowledge and helped them get their jobs done.
"Law and police work are closely related. A good grasp of law would enhance efficiency and confidence," says PC Mak.
PC Ho, who attempted the qualifying exam for the first time, says he has only three years' frontline experience and is not familiar with the laws related to other Government departments. In preparing for the exam, he came to know more about the laws related to police work.
Attempting questions with care
PC Chung reminds officers attempting the qualifying exam again to familiarise themselves with law because it may undergo amendments after just one year.
They remind candidates to go through exam questions with great care. PC Chung advises the candidates: "Familiarise yourself with the contents of exam questions and don't lose your patience." For them, double-checking of exam paper is very important and candidates should not make an early exit even if they have finished the exam paper in good time.
PC Ho advises officers attempting the qualifying exam for the first time to seize the opportunity of attending a mock exam. Concurring with this view, PC Kong sees the mock exam as a big help for candidates. "Attending the mock exam would make a candidate more confident in attempting the actual exam," says PC Ho.
Peer encouragement and family support
For these six officers who have to work shift, help and encouragement by their supervisors and colleagues are as vital as their own efforts and good time management. PC Mak, who often sought advice from his supervisors and colleagues, says: "There're many walking dictionaries around me!" "Absorbing knowledge from other persons is very important," PC Chung notes.
Preparing for the qualifying exam, PC Ho joined other exam candidates in learning and revision and sought advice on law from officers in other units.
PC Lam's Station Sergeant and Sergeant led the setting up of a study group for officers sitting for the qualifying exam. The officers' supervisors, in the capacity of a former exam candidate, discussed the areas where more candidates made mistakes in the exam so as to enlighten their thought.
Advice for candidates
Finally, the officers remind their colleagues sitting for the qualifying exam to start preparation as early as possible. For them, "effort will certainly pay off" and "how much one would gain depends on how hard one works".
For
these
officers there are no shortcuts to exam success, except their own
efforts and encouragement by their colleagues