An appeal from One of Ceylon's Old Comrades ¡@Jeff S Robinson is an ex RAF Police dog handler who is trying to look up some old commrades who served with him in Ceylon(Sir Lanka)druing the 1950's. ¡@A number of these old chums apparently joined the Hong Kong and Singapore Plice Forces on demob,many of whom Mr Robinson has found and met up with again druing sporadic reunions. In fact, he has managed to find as many as 87 of these old frinds. ¡@If you are"One of Ceylon's Old Comardes",or know of any of their whereabout, Mr Robinson would be grateful if you would pass on the following address: Mr Jeff S Robinson, 17 Och'r-Y-Bryn, Halkyn, Nr Holywell, FLINTSHIRE CH 88 ES, United Kingdom

Slippery changing room floor DEAR SIR, ¡@¡@My son recently slipped on the floor of the POC's pool changing room. ¡@I immediately brought this to the attention of the men's changing room attendant and also pointed out areas of accumulated water on the floor which could also be hazardous. ¡@The attendant used a wiper to dry the floor and mentioned that this was not the first time that someone had slipped on the wet floor. ¡@I think POC management should pay special concern to the matter of slippery floors in the change rooms in order to avoid the re-occurrence of this sort of accident. ¡@Fortunately my son was not hurt, but someone else may not be as lucky in the future. Regards, Superintendent Cheung Kim-ping ADC, Adm, Wong Tai Sin District REPLY . . . DEAR SIR, ¡@¡@I refer to the letter from Mr Cheung Kim-ping concerning the slippery changing room floor - POC. ¡@As a result of the complaint, we have put carpets outside the shower areas and at the doorways to the swimming pool area of both the female and the male changing rooms. The attendants have also been briefed to clean and dry the floor at regular intervals. We believe that these measures will help to prevent accidental slipping on the wet floor in future. Yours sincerely Cheung Siu-wah Senior Superintendent of Police Catering, Clubs, Sports & Recreation Personnel Services Branch

Winning is/n't everything DEAR SIR, ¡@¡@In recent years, the Hong Kong Police Force has been enthusiastically promoting sporting events and a healthy lifestyle. Why is it then that the Police Sports Council announced that its "new policy" for entrants to the World Police Games in 1999 in Stockholm be that only "medal contenders" be considered? ¡@Has no one on the Council ever heard of the phrase "it's not the winning - it's the taking part"? ¡@If only those with a chance of winning a medal are allowed to compete, new athletes not yet up to this standard will be deprived of a chance to be exposed to competition at a higher level. All athletes from the Force should be encouraged to go as long as they fit criteria set down by the World Police Games Committee. ¡@The spirit of these games is to foster camaraderie and understanding between police officers throughout the world - not just to win medals. ¡@Financial constraints may not allow sponsorship of all athletes, but maybe "non-medal contenders" should be invited to compete if they pay their own way to the games. ¡@If everyone took the same view as the Police Sports Council, sports would be very boring and predictable as underdogs would not be allowed to compete. ¡@Sporting feats such as Boris Becker winning Wimbledon as an unseeded 17-year-old, or the famous entry of the Jamaican bobsled team into the Winter Olympics would never have happened. ¡@The Police Sports Council should seriously reconsider its standpoint on this matter. Sport is for all - and not just for those who can win medals. Regards, R A Simpson Detective Inspector

Sports Council defends selection process DEAR SIR, ¡@¡@I am writing in response to the letter from Inspector R A Simpson concerning the selection of representatives for the World Police/Fire Games to be held in 1999 in Stockholm. ¡@Mr Simpson is correct in saying that financial constraints do not permit all persons from attending as members of the official contingent, but incorrect in his statement that this is "new" policy, as the original article which was published in Off Beat to give people advance notification stated that it was "now" policy. ¡@The sports Council is, and always has been, aware of the need to develop the potential of competitors and it was with this in mind that the Council, in conjunction with the chairmen of all Police Sports Clubs, laid down the policy for the selection of Force representation outside Hong Kong, including the Games. ¡@Para 5-03 of the Police Sports Council Guidelines stipulates that there are two categories of competitors, as follows: ¡@"(a) An Elite competitor who will be a current Hong Kong or Force representative with excellent medal potential; and ¡@(b) A Promising competitor who has achieved a high degree of excellence in sports and who will be a medal prospect." ¡@The guidelines also state that individual entries will only be permitted if endorsed by the Sports Council and each application will be carefully considered. The endorsement is required as the competitor, although not a member of the official contingent, will still be identified as an officer of the Hong Kong Police and therefore his/her performance and conduct will reflect on the Force. You will note, for instance, Roy Bailey competed in the recent Calgary Police Games as an individual with the Council's endorsement. ¡@As someone who has led the Hong Kong Police contingent to the Games on more than one occasion, I can assure Mr Simpson that we all took full opportunity to foster camaraderie with officers from around the world and many new friends were made as a result. The fact that our team did so well was a bonus and evidence of the commitment of all those who participated. Yours sincerely, Lionel Lam Kin Chairman, Police Sports Council

THE LIGHTER SIDE Dogsycles? ¡@New York: Police in New York City gun down so many dogs each year that the NYPD is considering freezing canines instead of filling them full of lead. ¡@With one-third of police shootings involving dogs, the Force wants to replace bullets with frigid blasts from carbon dioxide fire extinguishers. ¡@Since 1993, thirteen people have been hit by stray bullets in dog shootings. Only in America? ¡@A gunfight with bank robbers caused six US police officers emotional distress - so they're suing the bad guys for damages. The lawsuit, filed by six members of the Puget Sound Violent Crime Task Force in Seattle, Washington, alleges "extreme and outrageous behaviour by the robber". ¡@Said the lawyer who represents the plaintiffs: "They are not doing this for the money. They want to send a message to fellow cops that they don't have to deal with this." Changing the gun laws might be easier ¡@Police forces in America are testing new technology which will allow them to spot people on the street carrying concealed weapons and potentially save lives. The devices emit low doses of X-rays which reflect off the skin and are used to develop an electronic image of the body and everything that the person is carrying. Going Dutch ¡@Sitting in the back of a police car, two arrested Dutch car thieves did what came naturally - they stole the squad car when the officers stepped away. ¡@Dumbstruck, the two highway patrolmen ended up having to jump in the stolen Opel Kadett and use it to chase their own police vehicle, only to lose it in traffic. ¡@The drama unfolded near Hoevelaken, a Dutch city 40km south-east of Amsterdam. Forty-five minutes later the police in Utrecht, about 25km away, spotted the patrol car, stopped it and arrested the pair. The big cheese ¡@As you might expect of London's top cop, the chief of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Paul Condon, has a special hotline to his desk that is fitted with enough security devices and scramblers to bamboozle even the most high-tech villain. ¡@But according to an article in London's Evening Standard, Chief Condon spends part of his day on the secure line fielding orders for pizza and credit card enquiries. In fact, a reporter interviewing Sir Paul observed the Police Chief take a call on his hotline, after which he seemed "rather glum". The call was for Pizza Hut. ¡@Shrugged Sir Paul: "It's a special secret phone to use in emergencies, but invariably I have to deny that I'm an insurance company, or Mastercard, or Pizza Hut . . . Regardless of the fact that I've told them I'm actually the Commissioner of Police, they don't believe me and demand ham or extra cheese." PICTURE GALLERY Today he passes his time with reporters and riff-raff, but time was when CSP PR rubbed shoulders with the great and the good