The rise and stall of a decorated high-flier

The transfer of Xavier Tang Kam-moon from one of the most senior positions in the Hong Kong Police Force has been as rapid as his rise through the senior ranks.

The 49-year-old joined the force in 1979 as an inspector and was twice honoured by the government for his crime-fighting efforts. He has spent most of his 26 years on the force doing criminal investigation and has worked for the Narcotics Bureau and the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau.

After being appointed a chief superintendent in 1998, he became the head of the Criminal Intelligence Bureau, and later the deputy regional commander of New Territories South Region.

He jointly led a special taskforce to track every move of notorious gangster 'Big Spender' Cheung Tze-keung, who was later executed in controversial circumstances on the mainland.

In the 1998 Bauhinia list, he received the Hong Kong Police Medal for Meritorious Service for his 'exemplary and devoted service in the Hong Kong Police Force'.

He was promoted to the rank of assistant commissioner of police in December 2003 and was appointed regional commander of Hong Kong Island Region in May last year.

His promotion to assistant commissioner was part of one of the biggest shake-ups of the force's hierarchy following the retirement of former commissioner Tsang Yam-pui, who was succeeded by Dick Lee Ming-kwai.