The Dragon Boat Festival is an important occasion for the Police Dragon Boat Club (“Police Dragon”) to foster power and unity every year. Senior Police Constable Hei, currently stationed at the Regional Intelligence Unit of New Territories North, has been a veteran member of the “Police Dragon”. Since he joined the Club in 2003, he has been working closely with teammates for over 20 years.

Since its establishment in 2002, “Police Dragon” has maintained continuous training. Hei shares the source of his motivation to persevere, “We still participate continuously despite the busy police work, which is all attributable to the team’s core spirit ‘One boat, one paddle, one heart’!”

Hei emphasises that there is no shortcut to success for sports, and team synergy can only be naturally developed through consistent training three times a week. “There are no individual heroes on the dragon boat, only team victories. From entering the water to paddling, all members must stand together, shoulder to shoulder.”

This strong team spirit is the cornerstone of the multiple achievements of “Police Dragon”. They have broken the Guinness World Record three times. Firstly, in 2004, they paddled non-stop between Shatin Shing Mun River and Wu Kai Sha for 110km within 24 hours; in 2012 and 2017, together with the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association, they set new records by paddling 227km and 247km non-stop within 24 hours on Shing Mun River respectively.

For Hei, dragon boat racing is more than a sports competition. “It has accompanied me when I grew up for over two decades and broadened my horizons.” He shares, “Within the team, all members - no matter you are a senior officer or from the specialised units - work together seamlessly. Outside the team, I teach students positive values through dragon boat training.”

Hei’s passion has inspired many, including Woman Police Constable of the Public Relations Wing Phoenix who joined in 2011. She said, “Initially, I just wanted to try a new sport, but the dedication of senior team members deeply moved me. I’ve been paddling for over ten years.”

Phoenix describes Hei as a very responsible senior member. “Hei will certainly assess team members’ conditions carefully before each practice to ensure safety.” This tender care reflects the team’s cohesion.

Phoenix values the strong bonding among teammates very much. “We are family. This bonding even extends to daily police work and we mutually support each other.”

In addition to representing the “Police Dragon” in local and overseas competitions, Phoenix actively participates in the team’s charity activities. Since 2004, the team has raised over HK$8.6 million for various charitable institutions, demonstrating the Force’s commitment to serving the community.

Both Hei and Phoenix state, “The ‘Police Dragon’ is far more than just a sports team, but an embodiment of the Force’s spirit - one team, one rhythm, united effort to unleash our greatest strength!”

Police Dragon Boat Club recruits members throughout the year. All are welcome to join. Please contact Ms Chan (chankinyi@hkpf.gov.hk) for more details.