Mr Lung, the former District Commander of Sham Shui Po District, stressed that mutual trust and respect, as well as close co-operation are essential in carrying out policing duties.

His views were shared by Deputy District Commander of the District, Mr Iain Tse Ho-yin. At one of the many functions to bid farewell to Mr Lung, Mr Tse told OffBeat that his Commander had been treating people honestly.

"He is a capable and most respected officer, who has always committed himself to providing exemplary support to his subordinates as well as excellent service to the people of the Sham Shui Po community," Mr Tse added.

Before proceeding on his pre-retirement leave after 36 years of service, Mr Lung told OffBeat that "knowing when to take action early to prevent incidents from happening coupled with lots of enthusiasm to assist people are two key elements which can help propel young recruits to become successful Police officers".

These two criteria, which were applied to a career spanning almost four decades, helped a young Probationary Inspector who joined the Force in the mid-sixties, to become a senior officer in the 28,000 strong Force.

"I joined the Force on April 18, 1966 and after six months of intensive training as a Probationary Inspector, I was assigned to Mong Kok then Yau Ma Tei on general patrol duties and to man the report room," he recalled.

"My work was more operation orientated and did not involve much paperwork. Apart from patrolling, I had to go out everyday to conduct checks on premises, which had applied for licences for printing publications and liquor licences.

"My duty was quite routine until the social instability of 1967 when I was attached to Mong Kok Police Station. I, and another Probationary Inspector, had a rough time there because we spent several months manning the station, eating in the canteen and sleeping on the roof of the station.

"Both of us took turns to man the report room round-the-clock as there was a shortage of officers, with most of them out on patrol to deal with contingencies.

"Years later, and with the benefit of hindsight, I realised that those early years were crucial in my career building," he added.

Mr Lung said the Force had evolved significantly over the last few decades and it was now one of the best and on par with any of its counterparts in developed countries.

"Today, our officers have the latest state-of-the-art equipment which is the envy of many other police forces. Very soon patrol officers will be issued with cell phones as well," he said. Policing nowadays is quite different to what it used to be 20 years ago. "Our approach today involves a lot of contact with community leaders and educating the public, which I believe has improved the understanding of the Force and its role as the upholder of the law."

Looking back with a tinge of nostalgia, Mr Lung recalled that during his three years as head of Shek Kip Mei Sub-division more than 20 years ago, he had managed to clear scores of hawkers selling flowers - a source of numerous complaints from residents - without making a single arrest.

This was achieved, he said, through dialogue and taking preventive action.

"Our motto of serving with pride and care is definitely paying off," he stressed.

Because of his commitment and close relationship with community organisations, Mr Lung does not plan to turn away from the people he knows so well.