Station Sergeant Mr Leung Shiu-yuk has testified as an expert witness in court in more than 130 triad-related cases, a record among incumbent Triad Experts in the Force.

Mr Leung Shiu-yuk is knowledgeable and eloquent about triad developments

During his 37 years of service in the Force, Mr Leung had received no less than 60 commendations from Commanding Officers and his supervisors. On October 11, 2003, he was presented with the Hong Kong Police Medal for Meritorious Service by Chief Executive Mr Tung Chee Hwa at Government House.

Prior to proceeding on pre-retirement leave on October 19, Mr Leung was the second-in-command in the Triad and Gambling Research Unit (TGRU) in the Criminal Intelligence Bureau (CIB). Over the years, he helped train some 110 of the existing 120-member Force Triad Expert Cadre.

In an interview with OffBeat, Mr Leung said: "I am always eager to keep on learning and collecting information about triads. Only through these could a Triad Expert keep abreast of current trends and gain the recognition and respect of other people."

First encounter with triads

Mr Leung's first encounter with the triads dated back to early 1960's.

"At that time, I was only a 14 years old naughty boy. One day, one of my playmates came to my home with his father after I had a quarrel with him. The man kept on complaining to my father and even claimed he was a triad member. My father, who was a teacher, was so scared that he slapped my face to calm the man down."

The incident reinforced Mr Leung's determination to become a policeman. Despite disapproval from his parents, he did not give up his ambition.

"After repeated pleadings, I finally got their nod."

Mr Leung joined the Force in December 1966 and was subsequently promoted to Sergeant and Station Sergeant in 1978 and 1984 respectively. He started off as a traffic policeman. But his alertness and performance in combating crime soon won the recognition of his superiors and he was transferred to take up crime investigation work.

"When I was on traffic duties, I spotted a man snatching a gold watch from a passer-by in the New Territories. I chased him hard in my motorbike and finally caught him. On another occasion, I caught some shoplifters in a store while I was off duty. Maybe, that's why my supervisors recommended me to work in the criminal intelligence team in 1974."

From 1974 till recently, he has been dealing with serious crime and anti-triad cases.

Excelling as a triad expert

Mr Leung's experience in dealing with triad-related crime led to being selected to attend a Triad Expert Training Course in April 1986. Later in 1990, he was transferred to the then Organised Crime and Triad Group. From 1994 to his retirement, he was the second-in-command of the CIB's TGRU.

The job of the TGRU is manifold. Apart from training would-be Triad and Gambling Experts, Unit staff also specialises in triad research. The Force Triad Expert Cadre assists in both investigating triad-related crime and giving expert evidence in court trials.

TGRU maintains close contacts with crime and intelligence units at regional and district levels to keep check on the current trends of the triad societies in Hong Kong. On education front, TGRU officers give seminars to schools and other disciplined services such as the ICAC and the Customs and Excise Department.

Mr Leung had attended seminars held in Zhuhai and Shenzhen as a representative of the Force to share his expertise with his Mainland counterparts. Earlier in the year, at the invitation of the Macao Judiciary Police, he spoke on the development of triad societies in Hong Kong.

In 1994, Mr Leung accompanied his supervising officer to Britain to assist the North Yorkshire Constabulary's investigation into Wo Shing Wo triad society activities there. His testimony in the Leeds Crown Court contributed to the conviction of two triad society members who were sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. After the trial, the Chief Constables' Committee of England & Wales Regional Crime Squads presented him with a commendation for his "professionalism, tenacity and sensitivity" displayed during the investigation.

Having testified in court for more than 130 triad-related cases, Mr Leung is not deterred by challenges or cross-examinations by defence counsels, including well-known barristers.

"The most important thing is that you need to have confidence in yourself. However, it could be a stressful task because most defendants plead not guilty. Hence, a successful prosecution would rely very much on the evidence of the undercover agent and the Triad Expert. Therefore, it is vital for me to keep abreast of current trends.

"An expert witness is different from an ordinary witness, and is subject to all sorts of questions about triads by the defence counsel. Hence, I must be well prepared for any questions."

The court has complimented Mr Leung for his expert evidence.

Delivering judgement in a triad-related case at the Eastern Magistracy in March 1996, Magistrate Mr Hugh MacCallun Sinclair said: "I have heard the testimonies of many 'Triad Experts' in my years in Hong Kong. I can say that Detective Station Sergeant Leung Shiu-yuk is the most informed of those I have heard. He takes an interest in his line of study beyond what is ordinarily the case. He was persuasive and I accept his testimony as reliable."

Mr Leung is very knowledgeable and eloquent about triad developments. Everything flows out of his mind immediately and naturally.

"A Triad Expert should understand not only the set-up of triad societies but also the court procedures. He should also understand the powers of police officers in the execution of duties. Only through these can a Triad Expert give an impartial and accurate account of his opinion to the court."

For the triad-buster, knowledge of triad societies did not come by easily.

Keen interest to trace the developments of triad societies in Hong Kong and overseas was the driving force for Mr Leung to delve into this subject. He loves reading related books, and has visited Singapore and the United States at his own expense and time to understand more about underground societies there. He has even paid numerous visits to Fujian to see for himself the so-called birthplace of "Hung Mun".

After his long and arduous battle against triads, Mr Leung sees triads as "merely a bunch of rascals out for quick bucks".

"They know nothing about 'brotherhood', and will betray you for money and anything else for their own interests."

Unforgettable experience

Throughout his service in the Force, what Mr Leung can hardly forget is neither court trials nor bloody crime scenes. It was an incident, which put his life on the verge of death.

"In 1968, I was a 'green' cop attached to the Patrol Sub-Unit in Sham Shui Po. One day, my colleagues and I were chasing a drug trafficker. The man rushed to the rooftop of a six-storey building and jumped over a low barrier wall. I jumped too and managed to grasp him. But he kept on struggling on the ledge. When I looked down, I found I could fall down any moment!

"In those days, we had no walkie-talkie or radio communications equipment to call for reinforcement. The only way out was to persuade the man to surrender. Luckily, he did, otherwise I could have died."

Leading healthy lifestyle

While off duty, Mr Leung tries to relax with hiking and ballroom dancing.

"Under the current economic situation and amid quests for higher productivity, officers should make good use of their spare time and do more exercises to keep fit. Spend more time with your family and don't indulge in gambling to relieve pressure!"he advised.

After a colourful career in the Force, Mr Leung plans to work for the Police Chinese Wushu Club as a volunteer, and helps it raise funds to build schools for needy children in the rural areas on the Mainland.

Mr Leung starts off his career as a traffic policeman