Opinion | Hong Kong police's harassment of protesters tarnishes good name of Asia's 'finest'
Albert Cheng denounces officers' rough handling and the mass arrest of demonstrators following the overnight sit-in after July 1 rally
The Hong Kong Police Force has been hailed as Asia's finest. But does it still warrant the title, given the heavy-handed way in which it recently dealt with peaceful protesters?
The force did not earn its reputation overnight. The British colonial administration drew a lesson from the bitter experience of the 1967 riots, and made painful efforts to clean up the police's corrupt image.
These efforts culminated in the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in 1974. A partial amnesty was granted to officers suspected of corruption in 1977. Meanwhile, officers were given relatively generous remuneration packages so they no longer had an excuse to take bribes.
Since then, the force has transformed itself into a trusted, efficient and professional law enforcement agency.
Political neutrality is another major reason our police have been held in high esteem, both locally and internationally.
In 2012, CNN Travel named Hong Kong as the greatest city in the world. One of the 50 reasons cited was the liberal environment in which people were allowed to "vote with their feet" for any conceivable cause. "Compared to reactionary neighbours like Singapore and mainland China," it said, "Hong Kong is ripe for civil disobedience."