Strong trust in the Force

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The Force is quietly winning the hearts and minds of the people of Hong Kong.

This is evident in the findings of a number of recent surveys conducted by independent researchers.

The most recent survey was one conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG), which found that Hong Kong people had a strong trust in the Force.

The HKFYG surveyed 2,013 people aged 15 and over in August and September. The poll showed that the respondents in general gave the Force a mark of 7.2 out of a possible 10 in terms of their trust in the organisation. This was the highest mark achieved by any of the organisations covered in the survey.

The co-ordinator of the survey, HKFYG Supervisor (Research and Leadership), Mr Mok Hon-fai, told OffBeat that both youths (aged 15 to 24) and adults (aged 25 and above) gave the Force the highest mark in the poll.

Mr Mok said: "The findings showed that incorruptibility, personal conduct and integrity were the top three elements which affected people's trust in the Force. It also revealed that professional personnel, retired people, and residents with a higher educational background had an even stronger trust in the Force."

Commenting on respondents' concern over their personal rights and freedom, Mr Mok told OffBeat: "Freedom was named as the top social value in Hong Kong and freedom of speech was the top civic right which Hong Kong people most treasured. Such findings imply that the Force, while handling public gatherings or related issues, needs to continue to strike a balance between maintaining law and order in Hong Kong and protecting people's right to express their views."

Remarks by JPOA

Junior Police Officers' Association Chairman, Mr Lau Kam-wah was pleased to learn that the Force was held in such high esteem by the public.

"Great improvements have been achieved in the Force's strategy and culture. We are now adopting a service-oriented approach and all frontline officers are more aware of the rights of the public. The positive findings of the survey prove that our colleagues' efforts in enhancing our service are now paying dividends."

CP encouraged by the survey result

Commissioner Mr Tsang Yam-pui was also encouraged by the positive result of the survey. "We highly value the trust held by the public in the Force because their confidence and support are essential to the success of Police work.

"In recent years, we have been promoting a service culture within the Force and we are glad that this has contributed positively to our public image. One of the most important moves is the creation of a corruption-free environment for the Force. The Force Anti-Corruption Strategy Steering Committee was established in 1995 and responsible for strategy formulation and overseeing its implementation. It launched the first of its 'Living-the-Values' workshops in 1997 to promote Force values such as integrity and professionalism to officers at all levels. We are now planning the fourth round of the workshops. Whilst we are encouraged by the findings of the surveys, we must never become complacent. Instead, we must continue to strive for an even higher level of excellence in all that we do."

The survey also showed that the public took great pride in the rights and liberties they enjoyed in Hong Kong. "As a law enforcement agency, we will continue to try our utmost to ensure that Hong Kong remains a safe and stable society where everyone can enjoy their rights and freedom," Mr Tsang said.

Two surveys conducted earlier this year also revealed that the Hong Kong people have positive disposition towards the Force.

A Gallup International survey, the Voice of the People, showed that, among the 17 institutions identified in the poll, Hong Kong's health system and the Police Force were the top two institutions in which the Hong Kong people had a strong trust.

The poll, which conducted worldwide interviews in July and August, found that a net 72 per cent and 68 per cent of the Hong Kong population believed that the health system and the Police operated in the best interests of society, far higher than the global average of 18 per cent and 20 per cent.

Another survey conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Education, which interviewed over 1,200 secondary seven students in Hong Kong, ranked the Police the fourth most respectable out of the 20 selected professions.

The poll showed that the interviewed students considered doctors, firemen, teachers and policemen to be the top four most respectable professions.

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