Police College Superintendent Josephine Lau Wai-mun has put to good use the operational experiences she garnered from her participation in the policing operation for the World Trade Organisation's Hong Kong Ministerial Conference (WTO HKMC) in late 2005.

Her main duty in the operation was commanding the all-female Tango Company in Wan Chai. She was visible at the forefront, working side by side with her women officers. When Korean demonstrators presented roses to the police, the spotlight of the local and international media turned on SP Lau and her Company. The presentation finally turned out to be a pleasant sideshow, earning the Force considerable PR mileage.

SP Lau was full of praise for her officers' devotion to duty as she recounted their tough job to the Psychological Services Group (PSG) and the Staff Relations Group (SRG) during an interview. Joining SP Lau at the interview was one of her platoon commanders in the operation, Senior Inspector Kitty Chik Hsia-yu, now attached to Central District.

SP Lau said that at the outset she knew for sure that her officers would have a challenging job - manning cordon lines at the forefront in front of Korean demonstrators - and that appropriate training for them was essential. After studying demonstrators' modus operandi at WTO's previous ministerial conferences, she collaborated with the Police Tactical Unit (PTU) Headquarters to train up her officers for their essential and unique role in HKMC.

As WTO demonstrators have a history of using petrol bombs against law enforcement officers elsewhere, part of the training provided by PTU aimed to demonstrate to Tango Company officers the nasty effects of petrol bombs.

To demonstrate the courage required of each officer and to set an example for the team, both SP Lau and SIP Chik did whatever their officers needed to do in the training. "When our officers saw us come out unscratched from the fire balls, they knew they would have nothing to fear during the actual operation," said SP Lau.

Human approach

As Tango Company officers were performing a cadre duty, and were scattered in different Districts and Divisions, maintaining communication with every officer was absolutely essential for SP Lau. She explained: "My officers seldom met in ordinary days. When they came together, it was for either training or operations. Moreover, some had to withdraw because of the operational needs of their primary duties. Therefore it's important for the Company Commander, Platoon Commanders and all NCOs to adopt a human approach to personnel management.

Presentation of roses

SP Lau had never expected that the Korean demonstrators would offer roses to her officers. With memories of burning coffins, storming officers, and snatching shields and officers fresh in her mind, she wondered whether the offer was a trap or another aggressive tactic in disguise. When she sought instructions from her Zone Commander, SP Lau was given the liberty to decide what to do herself, as long as the image of the Force was maintained.

SP Lau then racked her brains to work out a safe and dignified way to accept the offer. Eventually within a short time, she arranged for officers on standby duty to accept the flowers, gaining the praise of many Force members and members of the public.

As the situation was volatile, SP Lau remained at the forefront whenever possible so that she could keep her finger on the pulse of the prevailing situation and the physical and psychological conditions of her officers, and, more importantly, react fast to unexpected changes.

Tango Company officers worked long hours during the HKMC operation, as long as 36 hours during the last few days of the conference. In view of this, SP Lau, SIP Chik, other Platoon Commanders and NCOs showed care and concern to officers in a bid to maintain their morale; remained sensitive to their physical and mental conditions; and made relieving arrangements for those, on whom fatigue and stress had taken a toll.

"My officers had impressed me that they loved being in the Tango Company and had never grumbled about long hours of work. They were in a happy mood when we sent them off by car to their respective stations, just like members of a tour group having had a pleasant trip. I'm very thankful for their full support," said SIP Chik.

"Tango was put at the front and under the international spotlight as a result of the strategy employed by the Force, which proved to be very effective. Apart from Tango, every unit at the front and back had done a very good job and should be proud of their performance," SP Lau noted.

Wrapping up the interview, SP Lau offered this advice to officers who may take part in major operations: "It's essential to make prior arrangements to have someone of your family, for example your spouse or parents, to look after the family whenever you need to take part in any major operation. Then you can concentrate on your job whole-heartedly."

She also congratulated those officers who will perform duties for the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events, and reminded them that it is a big honour to take part in a national event because "it's almost certain that no police officer would have a chance to take part in the Olympics twice in his career for his country," she concluded.

Comments by PSG

After HKMC, SP Lau and SIP Chik fast became "mature" in terms of policing experience, management and leadership. The valuable knowledge and experiences they obtained from HKMC have equipped them for future large-scale operations. Some of their wisdom are summarised below.

Pre-operation training

Comprehensive training, including briefing sessions and anti-riot drills, prepares officers for large-scale operation. As SP Lau has pointed out, sufficient pre-operation training not only enhanced officers' self-confidence but also enabled them to respond to contingency and strengthen team cohesion.

Concern for colleagues

It was particularly difficult for Tango Company to build team cohesion as its members are scattered over different units in the Force. The secret of its excellent team spirit lied in SP Lau and SIP Chick's emphasis on "don't forget your subordinates are humans".

Making prior arrangements for family

SP Lau recognised the importance of understanding family's concerns and making appropriate arrangements with family members prior to taking part in an operation to avoid worries by family members during the operation.

Carelinks Helpline Upon its third anniversary, the Carelinks Cadre will launch the Carlinks helpline 9810-0202 on July 30 to promote peer support among Force members and help them cope with their emotional problems and stress. The hotline operates from 7pm to 10pm every Wednesday.

SP Lau has made the most of her HKMC experiences