Pilot training scheme for JPOs proves successful

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A pilot scheme to provide overseas training for Junior Police Officers (JPOs) has proven to be so successful that Crime Wing has decided to send more JPOs to receive the training in the next financial year, Crime Headquarters Chief Superintendent Mr Philip Wong Pak-nin disclosed.

Mr Wong pointed out that the pilot scheme was considered last year in response to one of the objectives set out in the Commissioner's three-year Strategic Action Plan.

Under the pilot scheme, Detective Station Sergeant Au Sai-kei of Organised Crime and Triad Bureau is the first officer selected to attend a six-week Supervisory Criminal Investigator Course from October 6 to November 14 last year at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) jointly set up by the governments of the US and Thailand.

Mr Au had attended the ILEA course along with 54 officers from 12 other countries or regions in Southeast Asia. Apart from the Force, ICAC, Customs and Excise Department, and Immigration Department had also sent officers to attend the course.

The curriculum of the ILEA course covered no less than 33 crime related topics, including, to name a few, organised crime, money laundering and financial investigations, counterfeit and credit card fraud, internet and computer crime, field strategies for officer safety, crime scene management, international travel documents fraud, strategies for dealing with transnational crime, leadership and management, overview of Asian drug trafficking trends and overview of South East Asia terrorism.

Guest speakers of the course were mainly law enforcement officers or university academics from the US, including officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drugs Enforcement Administration. The course was conducted in English, but simultaneous interpretation was provided for course members not conversant with English. Mr Au was perfectly at home in communicating with the guest speakers and course members in English, as well as in taking part in group discussions and giving presentations on his work in the Force in English.

Apart from sharing work experience and knowledge, group discussions and classroom presentations, course members had also visited law enforcement agencies and facilities in Bangkok.

Mr Au told OffBeat that he found the ILEA course beneficial in terms of knowledge, self-confidence and networking. "The course is useful and is an eye-opener for officers serving in the crime stream. It has not only enhanced my self-confidence and inter-personal skills, but also broadened my horizon. The course contents are diverse, giving me a better idea of what and how other countries or regions are doing in combating crime. After attending the course, I take pride in being a member of the Hong Kong Police," he noted.

Based on a report submitted by Mr Au, Crime Wing has carried out a review of the pilot scheme, and found ILEA courses appropriate and useful for JPOs working in the crime stream.

"We're quite satisfied with the outcome of the review, and we are convinced that the course would provide job-related managerial and technical skills to JPOs. Therefore we are considering sending about 10 JPOs serving in Crime Wing, Security Wing or crime posts in Regions to attend the course in the 2004/05 financial year," said Mr Wong.

Mr Wong stressed that the Crime Wing always attached great importance to continuous training for officers of all ranks. "All along we have been providing both in-service and overseas training courses for our officers. For the longer term, we'll also look for other appropriate overseas training courses," he noted.

DSSGT Au finds his overseas training very useful