DEAR SIR,
Police leadership and the way in which the Force
maintained peace, harmony and order in Hong Kong during the IBA rumour incident from November
10 to 12, 1997, are truly appreciated.
The Force's prompt response and its efficiency, flexibility, alertness and vigilance in dealing
with our requests for help demonstrate yet again the truly professional qualities of Hong Kong Police.
As citizens of Hong Kong, we are particularly grateful that calls for assistance from our various
branches were met with immediate responses from your police officers in different locations.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your officers at all divisional levels,
especially the Waterfront Police Station, Shatin Police Station and the Commercial Crime Bureau.
The force has the International Bank of Asia's deepest gratitude for the calm and professional
handling of the incident, and the guidance that the members of the Force provided to IBA's staff during
the situation.
Mike M Murad,
DEAR SIR,
I have a comment to make on new holiday homes
in Macau.
Force management's discovery that some police officers are in debt because of gambling, has led
to a policy requiring all Hong Kong Police who go to Macau or China to report their trip to their senior
officers in advance (or afterwards).
Although there are no gambling facilities in the Force holiday homes in Macau, I nonetheless fear
that officers who go there may become susceptible to the attraction and temptation of the casinos.
Indeed, holiday homes in Macau might even be contributing to some officers' weakness for gambling
by making it easier for them to holiday in an area known for little more than casinos.
Meanwhile, Force policy is to promote a healthy lifestyle among our officers.
For this reason, I think the Force should consider more suitable locations for holiday homes -
Hainan in Guangdong, for example.
Thank you,
DEAR SIR,
I refer to a letter from your reader who raises concern on the setting up of new holiday homes in Macau. May I first point out that the holiday homes have no correlation whatsoever with encouraging officers to gamble in Macau.
Force Holiday homes have existed in Macau for many years. As early as 1979 Personnel Services Branch first acquired properties there using the Police Welfare Fund. These facilities are set up to enable officers and their family members a short break from a busy and stressful life in Hong Kong. They are not established to facilitate officers to visit the casinos.
With the much improved ferry service between the two places, visiting Macau is no longer a problem; there is a ferry service every 15 minutes. The temptation of gambling and the easy means of access explain why officers visit the casinos, not because of the presence of the holiday homes. As your reader is probably aware, an officer has to book the homes, pay the rent and apply for leave in advance. Those officers who want to visit Macau solely to gamble will simply find the procedures too cumbersome.
Mindful of the temptation of gambling, in our effort to encourage a healthy lifestyle concept amongst officers and to provide them with suitable recreational facilities, Personnel Services Branch has recently reviewed the supply, locations and qualities of the Force holiday homes in Macau. We have released several homes which are within the city centre and replaced them with better quality ones in the outlying areas such as Taipa and Coloane.
Personnel Services Branch has also examined setting up holiday homes in southern China. Due to a number of considerations, we conclude that the timing is not right at present. We will however bear your reader's suggestion in mind.
I wish to thank your reader for his views but must stress once again that the setting up of holiday homes in Macau has nothing to do with motivating officers to gamble.
Yours faithfully,
DEAR SIR,
I was in Hong Kong last weekend to support
three South Australians who were participating in the Trailwalker '97 charity event.
When the support team's attempt to meet the walkers at the former Perowne Barracks was
frustrated by a lack of local knowledge and an out-of-date street directory, we were given
considerable and courteous assistance by the staff at one of the police stations in the Tuen Mun area.
To ensure that we found our destination without further difficulties, a mobile escort was
provided.
This type of help certainly adds to the enjoyment and lasting memories of visitors to overseas
destinations.
We would like to sincerely thank and congratulate those members of the Hong Kong Police
Force for assisting us to witness the efforts of our Trailwalker 97 team.
Regards,
DEAR SIR,
When a small fire broke out in the changing room
of our Physiotherapy Department recently, members of the Aberdeen Police Station responded
promptly (within minutes) to our call for assistance. The fire was extinguished at about 4:30pm. No
one was hurt, and only slight damage occurred.
We would therefore like to express our gratitude to the Divisional Commander of the station
and the policemen involved.
Thank you once again.
Desmond Ng
A FORMER Hong Kong policeman and market
gardener from Coney Weston has died, aged 93.
Born in Southampton, Leonard Harold Oakley grew up in Hampshire and joined the Hong
Kong police in 1934.
He was taken prisoner when the colony fell to the Japanese in 1941 and remained in Stanley
camp until 1945. While there he his future wife Ruth - a missionary stationed in China for 25 years -
who had also been captured and worked in the camp as a doctor.
After the war Mr Oakley worked in Rhodesia for a while before returning to England, where he
married Ruth in 1955. They had two sons, Tony and Stuart, and moved to Coney Western.
Mr Oakley, who retired from the Hong Kong Police Force as a sub-inspector, started a small
market garden business in Garboldisham, selling his fruit and vegetables at Covent Garden in London.
Mr Oakley's son Stuart said: "He was devoted to children and taught many of them to swim in
the river at Thetford, at the pool near the Three Nuns bridge, and on Knettishall Heath.
"He also loved rugby and cricket, being an avid supporter of Hampshire county and would often
go there, and to Twickenham for matches."
Mr Oakley died in West Suffolk Hospital on Monday 15 November. His funeral was held at St
Andrew's church, Barningham, on Wednesday 19 November, followed by interment at the West Suffolk
crematorium.
DEAR SIR,
Between 1975 and 1977 I had the honour and
privilege to serve as a PI with the Hong Kong Police Force, an experience that has had a profound and
beneficial effect on my life.
Twenty years on, one wonders what became of all those good colleagues. I now hope that I can
contact some of my old friends who still serve, and others who have retired.
Recalling all the names is impossible, but I would really like to hear from anyone who served
with me in No. 2 Sub Unit, Mongkok from 1975-77, especially PC Leung Kwok-wai, Station Sergeants
Au Ting, Pao Wai-lin and Li Sze-fat. PCs 17065, 17074, 16767 etc, and WPCs 15576, 15416, 15763,
15466, 15281, 15285, 15383 and 5055 to "name" but a few.
And what of Inspectors Geoff Hill, Steve Brown, Pete Edwards, Peter Wong, Gordon Lamb, Neil
Christie, Eddie Chan, Ian Macness, etc?
So if any of you remember the chi-sin bonban from No. 2 Sub Unit, Mongkok please contact me
so we can exchange our histories and, hopefully, arrange a reunion sometime.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Jerry Maycock
jerry's address is:
His e-mail address is:
DEAR SIR,
This letter serves to express our greatest gratitude to
the Police Hotline for their inestimable assistance to our staff and to our company as a whole in our
"Cake Run" incident.
The effective response of the Police Hotline toward the incident shows just how efficient our
police force is. We were very impressed by the high commitment of the Police Hotline on ensuring
Law and Order.
Again, please accept our heartfelt thanks to all of you. The services provided by the police to
us are highly appreciated.
Carrina Wong,
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