Force is responsive to change
 

In the early days of his career, Mr Tang undertook mainly crime investigation duties, having worked in Narcotics Bureau and Organised Crime and Triad Bureau. In 1998, he was promoted to Chief Superintendent to take charge of the Criminal Intelligence Bureau. Five years later, he advanced to the rank of Assistant Commissioner and subsequently worked as Regional Commander Hong Kong Island and took charge of matters of personnel and training.
 

In 2009, Mr Tang was further promoted to Director of Management Services and took up the post of Director of Crime and Security the following year. In January 2011, he reached the peak of his career - Deputy Commissioner (Operations).
 

Speaking of the transformations the Force went through in the past 30 years, Mr Tang said: "There were improvements both internally and externally in tandem with the changes in society." He recalled that in the 1980s when he was an inspector, rank conscientiousness was rather widespread and there were limited opportunities to talk to the superiors. But nowadays, internal communication kept on improving and officers had more opportunities and channels to express views and feelings of their jobs to Force management.
 

Mr Tang pointed out that Force management, apart from placing emphasis on job performance, was also concerned about officers' wellbeing and implemented "people-oriented" policies to help officers strike a balance between work and family life. The Force also encouraged officers to pursue continuous studies, eventually creating a lifelong learning culture within the Force. Referring to the Hong Kong Council of Social Service's Caring Organisation Logo the Force has won, Mr Tang noted: "The excellent internal communication and caring culture within the Force have enhanced officers' morale and camaraderie."
 

Speaking of the Force's external changes, Mr Tang pointed out that the Force had transformed from a "para-military" police force in the colonial days into a service-oriented disciplinary force.  He said he was grateful to his predecessors for their far-sight in identifying the Force Vision, Common Purpose and Values: "We Serve with Pride and Care".
 

Despite its transformation, Mr Tang continued, the Force's proactive approach and "Can-Do" attitude remained deeply rooted. He said with pride: "Though in recent years public expectation kept on increasing, issues related to livelihood were politicised, and officers were subject to increasing stress, all these have not changed our 'Can-Do' spirit, and we don't easily give up because of difficulties."
 

Job satisfaction
 

While working in crime units and Narcotics Bureau, Mr Tang cracked many major cases and earned many commendations. The following notable cases have left a listing memory on him.
 

In 1989, a year-long joint operation carried out by law enforcement agencies in the USA, Canada and Southeast Asian countries as well as the Force cracked the largest international drug trafficking case at the time, attracting worldwide media coverage. This brought Mr Tang and his colleagues in Narcotics Bureau job satisfaction and a sense of victory for their contribution to the operation.
 

In the 1990s, Mr Tang worked day and night investigating kidnapping cases and being subject to a lot of stress. When the cases were successfully detected and the victims were saved, Mr Tang's elation was beyond description.
 

In 1998, a protracted investigation led to the successful detection of the biggest case of firearms and explosives in Hong Kong, eliminating a major threat to law and order. "As a young officer, I was mindful of my job performance and energetic to get the job done. What mattered most were busting crimes and getting results," he quipped.
 

Accumulating more experiences of job and life, Mr Tang's mindset and thinking became more comprehensive. He said: "My mindset now is more open, and takes into account the changes and needs of society, as well as the long-term development of the Force and the feelings and needs of officers."
 

As Regional Commander Hong Kong Island, Mr Tang took charge of many matters, big and small, related to the World Trade Organisation's Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong. Besides working out a comprehensive operational plan, he made reference to the demonstrations staged by Korean farmers in places outside Hong Kong.
 

Referring to the Force's approach to handle public meetings and processions, Mr Tang said the Force not only respected people's rights to assembly and expression of views, but also took public order and security into consideration, and balanced the rights and freedom of the participants and other people. "The Force management is fully aware that frontline officers face a lot of stress. We offer them training and accoutrements to handle conflicts as well as training courses to manage stress so that they would be able to deal with any emergencies in a professional way."
 

Asked whether he prefers busting crimes on the frontline or thrashing out policies in a management post, Mr Tang said: "I like both. CID job is full of challenges and can bring the criminals to justice. In a management post, you can make comprehensive plans for the Force's development and enhance service qualities. This job would also offer a lot of satisfaction."
 

Recipe for easing stress
 

In his 34-year police career, Mr Tang came across many "difficult moments", but he advises officers to keep an open mind for setback and failure. He likened police work to hiking in the mountains: "There are different types of tracks before the destination. Not all the tracks are flat and plain and some are even very rugged. But as long as one doesn't give up and perseveres rather than promotion, one will find a way out."  Mr Tang sees job satisfaction as a motivation for work.
 

For Mr Tang, hiking not only eases stress, but also keeps him physically fit. When he could hardly concentrate his mind, Mr Tang took a walk outdoors, got some fresh air and let his mind calm down.  "These helped me find solutions to a problem," he noted. He encouraged officers to find their own ways to ease stress, warning that otherwise the stress would accumulate.
 

In the past, no matter where he worked and what rank he was at, Mr Tang approached his jobs and inter-personal relation with passion, integrity and accountability . These guiding principles helped him build up confidence and motivation for taking on challenges and setbacks, and enter a new phase of his life.