Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management) Mr Kwok Yam-shu, who has served in the Force for almost 32 years, has given an interview to Offbeat before stepping down from the front line. He shares his unforgettable experiences and challenges since he joined the Force. What touched him the most was a candidate’s answer; what distressed him the most was the riots aroused by the opposition to the proposed legislative amendments in 2019. When he attended the United Nations (UN) Council meeting, his firm eyes and words to clarify the false accusation of “Police violence” became one of the most remarkable scenes of the Force in stopping violence and chaos.

Kwok Sir has been determined to join the Force since he was a child, hoping to help the society eliminate the wicked. In addition to operational command and criminal investigation, he had also served as the head of the School of Foundation Training of the Police College, dedicated to the essential but challenging task of selecting and nurturing talents for the Force. In those years, Kwok Sir personally participated in the selection interviews of Probationary Inspectors to choose those with good leadership and sense of mission to society to join the Force.

During each interview, Kwok Sir would ask the candidates why they wanted to be a Police officer. One of the candidates’ answers has impressed him profoundly. The candidate said, “When we patrol the streets in uniform, all the problems that citizens encounter are ours to deal with.” Kwok Sir believes that this answer indeed highlights the meaning of the Force’s work.

Kwok Sir said, “When citizens seek help from the Police, even a word, an explanation, a helping hand, or even just being by his/her side, may be enough. We have no way to know how many tragedies or crimes have been prevented by the Force, but we can be sure that the presence of the Police patrolling the streets every day has prevented many crimes or tragedies from happening. Being a member of the Force reflects truly what ‘a small role with profound impact’ means. As long as we work wholeheartedly, we can help the others every day. This meaningful job brings both satisfaction and pride.”

In March 2019, Kwok Sir was promoted to Deputy Commissioner (Management). Unexpectedly, the riots broke out after he had taken office for three months. The rioters maliciously smeared the Force and doxed the Force members. Seeing that the legitimacy of the Force was being questioned, he seized the opportunity to attend the UN Human Rights Council meeting as a member of the Chinese delegation. He made a speech to clarify the false accusations and told the truth about the riots in Hong Kong. These encouraging remarks have become one of the turning points in curbing disorder. “Having honoured and overfulfilled the mission” is the evaluation given by the country to his speech, which makes Kwok Sir feel greatly honoured.

After retiring from the Force, Kwok Sir described himself as having successfully completed his Police career. He thanked the Force for its years of cultivation and encouraged youngsters aspiring to safeguard national security and Hong Kong’s law and order to join the Force, as it is something to be proud of.

Kwok Sir encourages his colleagues to shoulder the mission of the Force at this critical moment of the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the Motherland. We should maintain law and order in Hong Kong and stabilise the society so that Hong Kong, where the essences of Eastern and Western cultures meet, can play a good bridging role in the process of national development for the world to increase their understanding and recognition of our country.