Police and politics - where to draw the line?
Officers' union plans to get force to clarify what constitutes participation in political activities, after retiring superintendent attends rally
A police union that represents junior officers will discuss tomorrow whether the force should refine its definition of what constitutes participation in political activities.
It is now time to review the relevant internal regulations, particularly after what happened on Sunday
Ricky Chu Man-kin, secretary general of the Independent Police Complaints Council, said the rally was of a political nature.
Lau's attendance sparked a debate on whether he had breached internal rules, although he was on pre-retirement leave. By last night, the force had received 508 complaints.
"It is now time to review the relevant internal regulations, particularly after what happened on Sunday," said Tung Yiu-ming, vice-chairman of the Junior Police Officers' Association.
The union planned to ask police management to clarify the definition of participation in political activities as laid out in the general orders of the force.
Chu said whether Lau had broken the police code of conduct should depend on whether his remarks at the rally affected the force's impartiality in executing its duties.