A renowned psychologist named Erik Erikson has long postulated that there are eight important stages in human life - from infancy to late adulthood - and he called it the "eight ages of man". In each of these stages, there are development tasks, which everyone needs to fulfil before one can successfully advance into the next stage. The person may have to develop new skills or new perspectives in order to achieve these development tasks, but the process would not be at all smooth all the time. If indeed problems are not duly overcome, the person would likely encounter what is generally known as "developmental crises" which will prevent smooth transition into the next developmental stage.

The same may occur in police work. From the days of the Police Training School, the officer has to acquire so much knowledge in law enforcement, understand and appreciate the police culture, and be prepared for the variety of potential postings in the days ahead. Then comes the need to improve performance, face the heavy demands of work, and be able to tackle various difficult situations. It may be difficult to achieve a proper work-life balance, and work commitment may be taken at the cost of reduced attention towards the family. Time passes quickly, and suddenly the tolls of middle age may begin emerging. Despite enriched work experiences, the physique and health may pose considerable limitations. Children are getting older and are less prepared to listen and be by your side, while financial burden for their education may not be a light one at all. Then come the challenges and the huge amount of preparation required for retirement. It is like passing one toll after one another, and it requires much wisdom and effort to tackle each stage effectively.

The Psychological Services Group has been promoting work-life balance in the previous year through the "Balances and Wisdom Campaign". It is imperative that officers understand the tasks of these individual stages, and be able to exercise wisdom to overcome various problems. In this series of "Balances in Law Enforcement", we will be having four interviews with officers at different stages of their career - newly recruited, newly promoted, experienced officers at middle age, and officers close to retirement from the Force. We will try to listen to their stories, and gather important insights for our reference. The series will start in the next issue of the Offbeat.

Seek advice and help from the Psychological Services Group: 2866-6206 (5th floor, 111 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay). PEN: psg@police.gov.hk

(All cases will be kept in strict confidence.)