2 Photos
Not only are outstanding police officers the personification of “Loyalty, Integrity, Bravery and Tenacity”, they are who they are today, thanks to ceaseless on-the-job training. In fact, seasoned elites are found in each police district and every unit across the Force. At the highest rank among junior police officers, Station Sergeants serve as a bridge between senior management and frontline colleagues. Gruellingly trained, all Station Sergeants have what it takes to not only assist their supervisors in handling internal administrative work, but also guide frontline officers through their daily duties. What’s more, they are even the beacon for Probationary Inspectors.
This issue of OffBeat interviewed 54-year-old Station Sergeant Law Ka-chung, who has been posted to the uniform units in different police districts for most of his career. Before his imminent retirement, Station Sergeant Law reminisced about his 35-year career in the Force, which has been filled with both laughter and tears. However, he attaches utmost importance to passing on his experience and wisdom to the new generation.
As the officer-in-charge of a frontline operational unit, Station Sergeant Law has his own brand of management techniques. He said, “All team members work shoulder to shoulder. If none of them voices any problems immediately, it may be too late to fix them later, or that there will be a hefty price to pay for the damage control.” That is why he treats his teammates like family, and often holds meetings with platoon sergeants, which are not only conducive to finding out hidden problems in the platoon and coming up with preventive measures, but also strengthening mutual trust between colleagues.
“Putting people first” and “leading by example” are the two keys to effective team management. Station Sergeant Law said, “A respectable supervisor should have expectations for not just his or her subordinates, but himself or herself as well. Before I have expectations for others, I should first evaluate myself and see if I have done my job. Otherwise, others would not comply wholeheartedly. The Force is a people-centric organisation. Harmony leads to smooth governance. Then, we will get things done.”
He continued, “Management is not only about adhering to ‘rules’, but using ‘empathy’ as well. Therefore, whenever a subordinate makes a mistake or underperforms, a supervisor does not necessarily have to take the officer to task. Instead, supervisors better guide their subordinates to put themselves in others’ shoes. Only if they think from different perspectives about the possible outcomes would they be able to have a deeper reflection.”
According to the establishment, Station Sergeants are subordinate to Probationary Inspectors. However, in reality, when Probationary Inspectors first graduate from Police College and get delegated to different police districts, they are in great need of Station Sergeants’ assistance. Therefore, their dynamics are indeed intriguing. Station Sergeant Law said he would observe the character of every Probationary Inspector and try his best to impart his knowledge and be the voice of experience to them. However, Station Sergeant Law said that his opinion is for reference only, and that he always encourages Probationary Inspectors to trust their own judgement, because they are the ones commanding the platoons, after all. That is why they need to possess the courage to make decisions and be accountable for the outcomes, so as to grow into their roles more quickly.
Speaking of the deteriorating police-public relations in the aftermath of social turbulence in recent years, Station Sergeant Law said unwaveringly, “Regardless of changes in the external environment, as long as we uphold justice and serve the public wholeheartedly, we police officers will always have a clear conscience.”
