The Correctional Services Department (CSD) held a passing-out parade at the Staff Training Institute (STI) in Stanley today (June 11) to mark the graduation of 22 Officers and 104 Assistant Officers II. The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, reviewed the parade.
The theme of the passing-out parade was "Dream big and fly high. Together we can reach the top." Correctional officers performed Chinese-style foot drills again in demonstrations and a flag-raising ceremony during the parade.
Speaking at the parade, Mr Nip said the CSD has been guarding the last element of Hong Kong's criminal justice system for 100 years. Correctional officers are dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure custodial environment, and have been proactively making efforts to help rehabilitate persons in custody.
Mr Nip commended the CSD for arranging for more than 200 officers to be Special Constables to assist in stopping violence and curbing disorder during the social unrest and violent incidents in 2019; promptly arranging for over 2 500 off-duty and retired staff members to engage in mask production on a voluntary basis to ramp up the production output, so as to maintain the normal functioning of society and public services during the outbreak of COVID-19 last year; and participating in "restriction-testing declaration" operations conducted in specified restricted areas earlier this year. In addition, the CSD has also paid attention to the anti-epidemic work in correctional institutions to prevent the spread of the virus in the institutions, and has further planned to arrange vaccination for persons in custody on a voluntary basis in early July.
Mr Nip pointed out that with a large number of people being detained in correctional institutions for riot-related offences, the number of remands has reached a new high in nearly a decade. The department is facing unprecedented challenges and its daily institutional operations have been constantly under the spotlight.
Encouraging the graduates, Mr Nip said, "I am confident that correctional officers will be able to rise to the challenges and overcome all difficulties to uphold the mission and values of the CSD with determination. The CSD has taken effective measures to ensure the order and security of correctional institutions. With no fear of all sorts of smearing against correctional officers, they will uphold the principle of equality in managing all persons in custody. Meanwhile, correctional officers have never given up on their efforts in assisting persons in custody to turn over a new leaf, and have introduced various appropriate rehabilitation programmes in correctional institutions."
Mr Nip said that the CSD has allocated considerable resources in recent years to improve staff welfare in order to recruit and retain staff, and enhance the professionalism of correctional work and the sense of belonging among correctional officers. One of the measures is to develop the "Smart Prison" management model with full vigour by introducing technologies to assist correctional officers with the management work and to enhance the institutional security level, so as to effectively improve the working environment and procedures.
Mr Nip pointed out that the graduates should have gained a clear understanding during their recruit training of their responsibilities to uphold the Basic Law, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, be dedicated to their duties, and be responsible to the Government. Civil servants are important members in the political structure of the HKSAR. It is imperative for them to have an accurate understanding of the constitutional order established under the Constitution and the Basic Law, and the relationship between the Central Authorities and the HKSAR, in order to ensure the steadfast and enduring growth of "one country, two systems". Mr Nip expressed the hope that the graduates will uphold the core values of the civil service, support the HKSAR Government and make concerted efforts to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.
An Assistant Officer II, Ms Tam Tik-man, was awarded the Golden Whistle. She was a former representative of Hong Kong Athletics Team who participated in a number of major tournaments. She said she hopes to encourage persons in custody to face difficulties with the perseverance of athletes.
Another graduate, Officer Mr So Siu-wing, is a registered nurse. He said he will use his professional nursing knowledge to take care of the health of persons in custody, so that they can rehabilitate and prepare to reintegrate into society in a safe and secure custodial environment.
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