The answers to these questions can be found in the learning package recently developed by the Police College. The College's Learning Development Support Centre (LDSC) produced the package to help officers handle Mainland-related matters more effectively, as interaction between Hong Kong and the Mainland grows and the police officers in both Hong Kong and the Mainland are working closer than ever before.

LDSC has sought the views of officers at different ranks on the learning package. Some of the views are outlined below.

Sergeant Ngai Chun-yip, from Tai Po District Police Community Relations Office (PCRO), said: "I'm not very familiar with Mainland policing, in particular the organisation structure and the ranking system of the Public Security Bureau. But, working in PCRO, I'm in close contact with teachers and people from different professions, who have often asked me about policing on the Mainland. Therefore, through this learning package, I can acquire more knowledge about Mainland policing, which will certainly be a big help to my job."

He added that since 1997 the relationship between Hong Kong and the Mainland has been closer than before, and there has been more visits and exchanges between officers from the two places. Bilateral relationship and communication would strengthen if officers have better understanding of Mainland policing.

SGT Ngai also considered the material in the learning package sufficient and user-friendly. He expected that the content would be further strengthened in due course, such as providing news on the co-operation between the Force and the Public Security Bureau.

Another officer, Sergeant Cheng Chi-kan, from Chai Wan Division Patrol Sub-unit, agreeing that the material in the learning package is clear and easy to use, said the package is particularly useful to those who need to frequently contact their counterparts on the Mainland.

Produced in accordance with the Operational Priority in CP's Three-Year Strategic Action Plan 2005-2008, the learning package aims at enhancing officers' understanding of Mainland-related issues. Produced in Chinese, it is being uploaded as a special topic to the Learning Portal of the Police College homepage. Officers are invited to browse the package via POINT and send their feedback to LDSC. Although translation of the full text seems impossible at present, a gist in English will be provided by the end of this year.

The learning package of "Understanding Mainland-related Issues" is divided into three parts: Mainland Policing, Mainland Culture, and Mainland-related Matters.