DTD course brushes up crime fighters' skills
January 14, 2011, marked the graduation of 104 crime officers, comprising seven inspectors, 21 Sergeants and 76 constables, plus two officers from the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, after completing the Advanced Criminal Investigation Course (ACIC) run by the Detective Training Division (DTD) between December 28, 2010 and January 14, 2011.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Police College Deputy Director Gavin Brown congratulated the officers on completing the course and reminded them that "the Police College philosophy about learning is that you, in addition to attending formal training courses, must play a proactive role in self-learning in both your own time and on-the-job." In particular, Mr Brown told the graduates this meant they needed to keep abreast of the developments in the investigation work that they deal with as well as changes to legislation and Force orders and procedures.
Following his speech, Mr Brown presented certificates to the graduates, and shared his experience of crime investigations with them during a tea reception.
According to DTD Superintendent Pang Mo-yin, in the last two years DTD had strived to improve the qualities of its courses to ensure that the training provided is useful to officers, and equips them with up-to-date knowledge and skills required by detectives at District, Region and Force levels. The existing training courses on investigation run by DTD for Force members from Constable to Senior Inspector include the Basic Investigation Course, District Special Duty Squad Course, Standard Criminal Investigation Course and ACIC. DTD is currently working to develop a Senior Detective course for Chief Inspectors and Superintendents.
To canvass views from frontline crime managers and graduates on the training, DTD set up the DTD Alumni Focus Group and the Crime Managers Focus Group in 2009. These focus groups meet DTD Instructors twice a year and have provided valuable information and input which have identified training needs and enabled DTD to refine course content to ensure they will provide the training that frontline crime units require.
The three-week ACIC has been designed to enhance the investigation skills of crime officers who are working in, or will be posted to, crime units in Districts, Regions and Police Headquarters. Most ACIC sessions are open to Force members, and invitations to join the sessions are published on POINT and NoticeBoard.
During a tea reception after the ACIC Graduation Ceremony, the graduates talked about their views of their training in the past three weeks.
Detective Police Constable Chin Tik-hong of Yau Tsim District Intelligence Squad said: "The instructors in DTD are professional and I have benefited a lot by sharing experience with them. The training on video re-enactment of crime scenes is very practical for serious crime investigations."
Woman Detective Sergeant (WDSGT) Chan Mei-yuk of Wong Tai Sin District Crime Squad pointed out that "ACIC provided a learning environment where we can share and interact with experienced colleagues, frontline crime managers and DTD Instructors."
Detective Inspector Leung Ngai of Yau Tsim District Anti-Triad Squad echoed WDSGT Chan's comments and noted: "The course covers a wide range of investigation skills and has enhanced the overall competence of all trainees."
Mr Lu Zuomou, one of the Public Security Department trainees from Fu Shan, Guangdong Province, commented: "I enjoyed the course very much and have had a good time in the Police College. The course contents are comprehensive and useful. I am deeply impressed with the sincerity and professionalism of DTD Instructors and crime officers in Hong Kong."
Police
College
Deputy Director Gavin Brown has reminded the graduates of the
importance of self-learning