Speaking at the ceremony, Director of Personnel and Training Chau Kwok-leung said the development and progress in society posed many challenges for police, and public support was paramount for the fight against crime. He commended the awardees for their bravery and alertness, and for coming forward to help police fight crimes.

 

Noting that this year was the 40th anniversary of the GCA scheme, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC), Ms Shirley Yuen, said at the ceremony that the HKGCC played an important role in the scheme, being the sole sponsor since it was established in 1973 to enlist public support for fighting crimes. Ms Yuen hoped that, with the partnership of the community and the HKGCC, Hong Kong would remain a safe place to live in peace and work happily. 

 

A member of the Fight Crime Committee, Mr Yeung Yiu-chung, said at the ceremony that the bravery of the awardees demonstrated the positive energy that was the most precious element for building a safe and harmonious society.

 

With the help of the 40 awardees, comprising 34 men and six women, more than 40 persons were arrested for a variety of offences, including theft, indecent assault, burglary, robbery and wounding. Each of the awardees received a certificate and a cheque for $2,000.

 

A total of 16 awardees helped police arrest 13 culprits in 11 cell phone-snatching cases while another seven helped police nab seven men for indecent assault.

 

Presented twice a year, the GCA scheme is organised by the Police Public Relations Branch and sponsored by the HKGCC. 

 

 

Early this year in a public housing estate in Tuen Mun, off-duty Prison Officer Lee Ling-fung saw a middle-aged man run berserk, chase a security guard and attack him with a chopper.  Mr Lee immediately chased after the man. Assisted by his colleagues and a passer-by, Mr Lee subsequently subdued the man and handed him over to police.

 

Mr Lee sees his award as recognition of what he had done but he is more concerned about the injuries of the security guard and wishes him early recovery. He points out that his honour also goes to his colleagues and the citizen who lent him a hand in the chase.

 

Mr Wong Chi-hung witnessed a man and a woman having a quarrel in a public housing estate in Tin Shui Wai in September last year.  The man assaulted the woman, while another woman attacked the victim. Mr Wong and two citizens tried to intervene in vain before police arrived at the scene. 

 

Mr Wong told a Sergeant that the man had tried to throw away an exhibit. Together with another awardee, Ms Wong Yee-man, Mr Wong later made a statement of the assault to police. 

 

During an interview with OffBeat, Mr Wong appealed to citizens to come forward to help police. 

 

Passing by Hung Shui Kiu in Yuen Long with her husband in their car in July last year, Ms Lin Wai-ki saw two men climb up a tenement building. She immediately alerted police. Later she learned that officers had cracked a burglary case and apprehended two men. She also learned to her delight that police had also recovered stolen property worth over $100,000 and the victim had not suffered any financial loss.

 

"It took me only a short while to make a report to police. Citizens should not find it too troublesome to make a report," she noted.