After nearly 37 years of service, Siu Chak-yee is retiring this month, concluding his distinguished Force career in which he takes pride. He is immensely proud of having had the opportunity to lead one of the world’s most outstanding law enforcement teams. He encourages his colleagues to bear in mind their original intention of protecting citizens, work diligently and strive to excel in their duties to safeguard their home, Hong Kong.

Inspired to join Force by father

Being a young man fond of police and crime films, Siu Chak-yee was deeply influenced by his father, who was also a police officer. He was inspired to join the Force with the aim of fighting crime for the public. He recalled, “My father taught me a lot through his words and deeds, which have benefited me throughout my life.” To Siu Chak-yee, his father was a diligent, upright and dedicated law enforcer with a strong sense of mission. Influenced by his father, Siu Chak-yee applied to become a police inspector after graduating from university, hoping to contribute to the Force and make society safer.

Visits front lines and talks to citizens with empathy

During his tenure as the Commissioner, Siu Chak-yee frequently visited the front lines and participated in various activities to communicate closely with citizens. “The support and trust of the public are crucial for promoting policing work. Hence, we need to increase transparency to let citizens understand what kind of team the Hong Kong Police Force is.”

Siu Chak-yee believes that to be a good police officer, one must understand the power of empathy. He often shares the approach of “putting oneself in others’ shoes” with his colleagues. “For example, if you consider how you would want your family to be protected by the police, you’ll know how to protect citizens when you wear the uniform.”

Adopts people-centric approach and values frontline opinions

About internal management, Siu Chak-yee stresses his aversion to the echo chamber. Instead, he always adopts a people-centric approach, especially values the thoughts and voices of frontline officers. Therefore, he frequently seeks opportunities to communicate with frontline officers, hoping for everyone to feel that the management values their opinions and is open to adopting good suggestions. This naturally enhances their sense of belonging to the Force. He points out that every officer is a valuable asset to the Force and an important element in building this strong team. He encourages colleagues of all ranks to express their opinions boldly. “Let’s consider this: With 30 000 brains working together, even the most difficult problems can be solved. As management, we must listen to various opinions seriously, practically and extensively for continuous improvement and optimal results so that the team will make progress constantly.”

Bridges gap with the youth through Force, families and school collaboration

“Young people are the future of society!” Siu Chak-yee calls on all sectors of society to join efforts in developing and creating opportunities for the younger generation so that the synergy of “one plus one is greater than two” can be leveraged. In 2020, he took the lead to establish a task force for promoting police-family-school collaboration, enhancing youth awareness of the law and organising various activities to bridge the gap between the Force and young people, with the aim to create a safe learning environment for youngsters.

With continuous efforts from all parties, various youth crimes significantly decreased last year. For example, the number of youth arrests in serious drug cases dropped from 430 in 2021 to 129 last year, a cumulative decrease of nearly 70%. The decline in arrests of students was even more significant than that of non-students, with a cumulative drop of 76.9%. The relationship between the Force and young people has also improved. In a public opinion survey conducted in 2024, the score given by young people aged 18 to 29 for the Force’s performance increased significantly by 14.75 points, from 38.91 in 2021 to 53.66 last year.

Encourages younger generation to care about their careers

Siu Chak-yee expresses his heartfelt gratitude for the support of all stakeholders. “I firmly believe that if we work with dedication, citizens, including the younger generation, will feel it, thereby enhancing their trust in the Force. They will then be more willing to step forward to assist us so that the entire society will be benefited in the long run.”

With “Heaven rewards diligence” as his motto, Siu Chak-yee urges his colleagues to find satisfaction in their work in addition to working hard. “Safeguarding national security and protecting the lives and property of citizens are the mission of every officer of the Force. If you find satisfaction in your work, you will be more motivated and perform better.”

“Work is exciting because of the challenges, and life is fulfilling because of the efforts,” Siu Chak-yee summarises his police career with these words. He also encourages the younger generation to study hard and work diligently. “Since work occupies the most time in our life, investing effort in our career will enrich our life.”