Given that some lawbreakers have been capitalising on the latest changes in the political landscape to revive violent and illegal acts in the community, there is still an immense need for frontline police officers to resolutely enforce the law. This issue of OffBeat sheds some light on the inner workings of the Personnel Wing Coordination Centre (PWCC), a support unit that has been ceaselessly providing frontline officers with the bare essentials since the outbreak of protests against the extradition law amendment bill in June last year. With PWCC’s assistance, the officers would not be deterred by hunger, the chilly weather or any discomfort when discharging their duties.

PWCC comprises units such as the logistics and planning division and the catering division. Its main function is to prudently distribute supplies including welfare items, drinks and snacks to support colleagues in different police stations.

To PWCC members, the past year was filled with memorable moments. According to Senior Inspector Emily, the underwear of some Regional Response Contingent (RRC) officers was drenched with sweat after they had been on duty for two days straight during the “November 11” riot last year. Once PWCC learnt about the situation, it immediately purchased and supplied the RRC officers with new underwear. The officers were so touched by the gesture, as it truly hit the spot.

Sergeant Wong Chor-kei recalled how a lot of frontline colleagues were dutifully guarding the line of defence when violent clashes erupted in the Polytechnic University campus. At one point, there was a sudden drop in temperature and rain was pouring. Knowing that some supervisors wished to cheer on their colleagues, PWCC members immediately purchased a large batch of toasty soup packs and handed them to colleagues who were braving the wind and rain on the front line. He said, “Once they received the soup packs, they warmed up their hands and bodies with them, then they drank the hot soup inside. I still remember vividly the look of contentment on their faces.”

Normally, the delivery and distribution of meal boxes do not fall within the purview of PWCC. However, in the event of emergencies, PWCC would offer a helping hand. Wong Chor-kei added that, given the rampant road blockage waged by rioters over the past year, the supplier could not deliver the meal boxes to designated locations, which prompted colleagues to come up with solutions. He said, “I once drove uphill all the way from the Police Headquarters in Wan Chai, then I drove downhill when I got to Chai Wan. In the end, I collected the meal boxes in North Point.”

Station Sergeant Leung Chi-fai thinks the supplies provided by PWCC to colleagues are far more comprehensive than before, and PWCC also let colleagues know about the available items by creative means. For example, the “We Know What You Need” series has been inspired by supermarket advertisements, with the aim of notifying colleagues of the latest and most sought-after items. He said, “PWCC will keep listening to the needs of colleagues and thinking about ways to satisfy them. It is hoped that when the colleagues receive such thoughtful items, they can feel that PWCC has been standing by them all this time.”

Operation TIDERIDER

Q&As on meals

Q: How much drinking water and how many apples were consumed throughout Operation TIDERIDER?

A : 1.8 million litres of drinking water = Bottled mineral water (700ml) x 2.57 million!

      427 tonnes of apples = 5.5-tonne truck x 77!

Q: Why was there always more rice than other food items in the meal boxes?

A : The designated amounts in each meal box — 300 grams of carbohydrates, 200 grams of meat and 80 grams of vegetables — enable colleagues to take in more starch, so they will be full of energy when carrying out their duties on the front line.

Q: Could there be a greater variety of food items in the meal boxes?

A : The food items on offer catered for the taste of most colleagues. The choices could not be too peculiar. For the sake of food safety, beans, dairy products, cold dishes or food with salad dressings were all excluded from the meal boxes.

Q: Why did meal boxes for regular operations have to be ordered seven days in advance, while those for Operation TIDERIDER could be ordered at just a half-day’s notice?

A : For Operation TIDERIDER, the Police had placed an order guaranteeing the purchase of a certain amount of meal boxes. Therefore, the supplier made special arrangements to make sure they manage to prepare the meal boxes in half a day.

Q: What criteria did the Police use for selecting meal box suppliers?

A : The supplier should at least have a restaurant or food factory licence. The Police would also deploy officers to conduct spot checks on the premises to ensure their hygiene and manufacturing processes meet the required standards. Within a fixed budget, the suppliers had to provide meal box delivery services covering places across the territory.