The Hong Kong Police Volunteer Services Corps (HKPVSC) has been operating for almost two decades since its establishment in April 2004. Among the volunteer teams of various natures under HKPVSC, PT Buddy is a team that provides training for those who are interested in joining the Force and helps them handle the entry physical fitness test up to the physical training at the Police College (the College).

48-year-old Sergeant Jan is the founder and convenor of PT Buddy. He joined the Force in 1996 and served as an Airport Security Unit officer. When he was a physical training instructor at the College in 2010, he found that some trainees had a hard time when they first received rigorous physical training at the College and needed to strive before meeting the requirements.

Having served as an instructor at the College for two years, Jan was transferred to the Counter Terrorism Response Unit (CTRU). Yet he was still passionate about nurturing new talents for the Force. In 2016, he gathered another five colleagues who had been tactical units officers or qualified fitness instructors to establish PT Buddy – a voluntary physical training buddy team for people who want to join the Force. The first target group of PT Buddy was Junior Police Call members of Project Torch of Mong Kok District (MKDIST).

Jan explains that although the physical fitness test items for joining the Force, such as the 800m run and the 4x10m shuttle run, may look simple, many skills for these items need to be mastered. “Taking the shuttle run as an example, how the candidates turn around, whether they step out with the left foot or the right foot first, will affect their performance very much. So we conduct targeted training to enhance the trainees’ co-ordination. For the handgrip strength test, we have designed training that integrates horizontal bar hanging and push-up to strengthen their handgrip strength.”

Upon the success of its trial in Project Torch, PT Buddy later became a team under HKPVSC to provide training support to various Districts, including Project Gemstone and Project Himalaya that train young people from ethnic minorities to join the Force. Since the establishment of PT Buddy eight years ago, most of its trainees have successfully passed the physical fitness test of the Force. Their excellent performance extended into their formal training. One of them broke the College’s record that lasted 28 years – finishing 2 400m in just 7 minutes and 14 seconds. Some trainees followed in their instructors’ footsteps and became new tactical units members.

Jan points out that the number of PT Buddy instructors has now increased to 88. They adjust their training methods to stay abreast with the times. He reveals that among the Districts served by PT Buddy, the one with the most outstanding achievements was still MKDIST’s Project Torch, which it first served. More than 600 people of Project Torch were trained over the years, whose passing rate in the physical fitness test for joining the Force is over 90%. Jan is currently stationed at the Police Community Relations Office of MKDIST to help promote Project Torch. “It’s like a triumphant homecoming,” Jan grinned.

If you are interested in joining or assisting the activities held by HKPVSC, please contact HKPVSC Secretariat Member Ms Winnie Lam.
Email: winnielam@police.gov.hk
Phone: 3660 7503