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The social disturbance emerged a year ago, but the series of hostile behaviour against the Police still leap up vividly before our eyes. Not only police officers are suffering, but also their family members, who give unwavering support and bear untold hardship in silence. The Personnel Wing has endeavoured to provide different kinds of assistance to officers and their family members, to show care and support for our colleagues.
Bullying against police children
At the beginning of the social incident, some individuals harboured such intense hatred for the police that they incited campus bullying against police children. With the emergence of bullying cases, the Force management immediately established a notification mechanism with relevant government departments to address the issues and take follow-up actions, in order to protect the well-being of police children.
Police children to pursue study on the Mainland
Meanwhile, some police officers begin to consider sending their children to study outside Hong Kong for better learning environment. Since December 2019, the Staff Relations Group of the Personnel Wing has embarked on the coordination work and has been referring requests for assistance to relevant authorities for follow-up actions.
Case of request
Police Constable Cheung (pseudonym) is more than a professional frontline police officer, she is also the mother of a Form 5 student. Apart from living with the demanding policing duty, she also has to spend time taking care of her son.
“My husband and I are police officers, and we both take part in Operation TIDERIDER to stop violence and curb disorder. Since the school term started last September, my son began to dislike going to school and lock himself in his room; I asked whether he was bullied at school, but he only said he would take care of it. Then he kept saying he did not feel well and only wanted to stay at home without going to school. It was not until a schoolmate of him told me the reason why my son did not want to go to school that I realised he was bullied by other schoolmates because his parents are police officers. Their bullying behaviour became aggravated, my son was facing constant harassment, and things even get physical. There was once they drove him to hide himself in the bathroom, it had even crossed his mind to jump out of the window in a bid to protest against them with blood. As a police officer, I have not only failed to protect my own son, but even brought him into such persecution; it just pains me so much as a mother! But what can I do?” said Cheung.
Upon the referral by her colleagues, Cheung reached the Personnel Wing for assistance, and lodged a complaint to relevant government department with regard to her case. “Making the complaint doesn’t mean much to me, the whole point is having the school look into the issue, so that it will not happen again to other police children. Given the present education atmosphere in Hong Kong, in order to provide a safe learning environment for my son, I was considering to send my son to the Mainland for school. But at that time I did not have any information in hands, both my husband and I had no idea about the education environment on the Mainland, we were simply helpless. Fortunately, Staff Relations Group colleagues offered me assistance after I mentioned the idea to them. After thorough understanding and consideration, I made up my mind. Finally, with the coordination of the Personnel Wing and various authorities, my son is now studying in a Mainland school of our own choice. The school term has started, and my son is blending in, making new friends. This is such a relief to me, and I can now focus more on the coming policing duty, hoping to make contribution to help restore peace in Hong Kong.”
More information on pursuing education on the Mainland
The Staff Relations Group made an introduction on the issue of Police Children Pursuing Education on the Mainland via the Force Notice Board on May 18, 2020. Officers who intend to send their children to study on the Mainland in the 2020 Autumn term or 2021 Spring/Autumn term may refer to the corresponding message for details.
For enquiry, please contact Staff Relations Group’s Senior Inspector Mr Cheung at 2860-2685 or Station Sergeant Mr Lee at 2860-2683.
