[ Foreword ] [ Memorable Events ] [ The Hand of Partnership ] [ Operations ] [ Regional Commanders' Report ] [ Personnel and Training ]
[ Management Services ]
[ Professional Equipment ] [ Finance, Administration and Planning ] [ Environmental Report ] [ Organisation ]
[ Annexes and Appendices ]
> Integrity and honesty
> Respect for the rights of members of the public and of the Force
> Fairness, impartiality and compassion in all our dealings
> Acceptance of responsibility and accountability
> Professionalism
> Dedication to quality service and continuous improvement
> Responsiveness to change
> Effective communication both within and outwith the Force
It gives me great pleasure to be asked to write the foreword for the Hong Kong Police Review 2014. By the time this review comes to print, my successor has taken over as Commissioner. Last year was one of the most momentous and most challenging that the Force has experienced in more than four decades. Whilst, in many ways, it was dominated by the street protests that took place in its last quarter, it was a year during which we achieved many notable successes. I hope, therefore, that this review will help you look back on how the Force performed in the year of 2014; how we fulfilled our promises; and how we worked with the community to ensure that Hong Kong remains one of the safest and most stable societies in the world.
With regard to many of our core duties, such as fighting crime and promoting road safety, I believe we did extremely well. Ultimately, members of the public want to feel safe and secure both on the streets and in their homes. We have completely lived up to these expectations and it was most gratifying to see crime rates tumbling to levels not experienced since the early seventies, particularly so in the number of violent crimes being reported. The number of traffic fatalities also dropped to its lowest level since the fifties.
There have been other successes too. Complaints against police again declined last year, which was most reassuring given the significant investment that we have put into service improvement and complaint prevention. Corruption-related complaints also continued to drop and the Force remains an organisation that is largely free of corruption. Partnerships with different sectors of our community to prevent crime and promote safe neighbourhoods are also increasingly becoming the norm.
However, the ever-rising number of reports of technology crime, which is a worldwide trend, remains a particular concern. We are moving swiftly to counter this threat by setting up the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau, which will take the lead in promoting cyber security and fighting technology crime, working with stakeholders locally and internationally, as well as educating the public.
Despite the successful policing of the unlawful "occupy movement" protests in 2014, the threat to public order is unlikely to dissipate any time soon. The protests were the most protracted, most significant and most complex operational challenge that the Force has faced in decades. In the full glare of the local and international media, we had to chart the choppiest of waters imaginable. I salute all members of the Force for rising to this challenge and in a manner that was in the finest traditions of our organisation.
One thing that I have learned during this most difficult period is that an organisation is only as good as the people it has working for it.
People are the cornerstone of our success and, for decades, we have been able to find the right people for the job and create an environment where they can fulfill their potential. We continue to showcase corporate social responsibility in caring for our employees, as well as our community. For this, we were awarded by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, for the fifth year in succession, the Five Years Plus Caring Organisation Logo last year.
Getting the best out of our people starts from the day they join the Force. The Hong Kong Police College now offers foundation training programmes, which are second to none. It was particularly gratifying to note that the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications has accredited our Probationary Inspector and Recruit Police Constable training programmes respectively at degree and associate degree level. The Hong Kong Police College is the first training organisation in any Government department in Hong Kong to acquire this accreditation status and, as such, received a Certificate of Commendation from the Education Bureau for actively supporting and contributing to the Qualifications Framework.
Last year also welcomed the opening of a new, purpose-built Detective Training Centre in Lei Muk Shue, which will better equip our investigators to tackle the myriad challenges of crime, old and new alike. To prepare for the worst, officers are also drilled in the handling of major incidents and disasters. Against the heightened threat of terrorism, we have also enhanced our level of preparedness and the liaison and collaboration we conduct with our partners locally and abroad.
To inculcate a better understanding of professional responsibility and accountability Force-wide, the Living-the-Values Wave VIII programme, which aims at reinforcing the Force Values, was rolled out last year as well. The film "Generation 2+", which was produced by frontline officers and used as a key training aid, won the Gold Award for Corporate Internal Communications and the Grand Award for Best Internal Communications at the internationally renowned 2014 Questar Awards. We also continue to leverage technology to support the work of our frontline officers. These efforts were duly recognised at the Hong Kong Information and Communications Technology Awards 2014 where our Personnel Information Communal System II computer system and our new minirange training system won awards in business solutions and innovation respectively.
An icon of our community engagement initiatives, the Junior Police Call, celebrated its 40th Anniversary in 2014, as it continues to reach out to young people in the community. At the other end of the spectrum, the Senior Police Call, which was set up in early 2014, now fulfills a crucial role in promoting crime prevention, fighting crime, and providing advice on road safety to our elderly citizens. To care for the community after going off duty, we now boast 44 volunteer teams, comprising over 4,000 officers, which provide voluntary services to the public. The sterling efforts of these teams led to the Social Welfare Department awarding the Force the Gold Award for Volunteer Service and the Merit of Highest Service Hours Award (Public Organisations) last year.
Last year marked the Force's 170th Anniversary and various events, including two charity concerts and an exhibition on our history at the former Wan Chai Police Station, were held to commemorate this auspicious occasion. Furthermore, the Narcotics Bureau celebrated its 60th Anniversary, whilst both the Special Duties Unit and the Complaints Against Police Office had their 40th Anniversaries.
It goes without saying that last year had indeed been a busy year for the Hong Kong Police, but one that we can be justifiably proud of. Operationally, we have been tested to the limit by the unlawful ‘occupy movement' protests and yet we are able to maintain Hong Kong as one of the safest and most stable societies in the world. We continue to have the support of the community at large and all members of staff benefit from an organisation that strives to excel.
I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to all my colleagues in this great organisation of ours and to those members of the community who have helped us in whatever way they could. Without this support, the Force could not have risen in such a steadfast manner to the challenges it faced in 2014.
Thank you.
Commissioner Tsang Wai-hung
Force senior officers
Commissioner Tsang Wai-hung (centre); Deputy Commissioner (Management) Lo Wai-chung (left); Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Wong Chi-hung
Commissioner Tsang Wai-hung
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