Officers from the UK's Top Strategic Police Course
visit Hong Kong

Two senior UK police officers visited Hong Kong in early August 2003 to see first hand the methods used by the ICAC to combat corruption and contrast them to initiatives being used in their own Forces.

Peter Sheridan, an Assistant Chief Constable with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Allan Burnett, a Chief Superintendent with Strathclyde Police in Scotland were both students on the International Strategic Leadership Programme (ISLP) which prepares students for the highest positions in the police service.

Corruption and the fight against it, is an issue of considerable relevance in the UK both through the recently established Independent Commission for Policing in Northern Ireland and the ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) initiative to establish an anti corruption strategy for England and Wales.

As the officers explained: "While the UK is quite different in its approaches, we did note parallels between good practice in Hong Kong and the Independent Commission for Policing in Northern Ireland. It seems a reasonable assumption that former Governor, Chris Patten was influenced by what he had seen and liked in Hong Kong and transferred that best practice to the challenging political and policing environment of Northern Ireland.

The ISLP seeks amongst many other things to broaden our strategic perspective, and let us compare what we do in the UK with initiatives found elsewhere in the world. A colleague from Hong Kong Police, who is on a parallel course to us in the UK, said we must look at the huge contribution of the ICAC as part of our research and that is what has brought us to Hong Kong this summer".

Chief Superintendent Burnett said, "We detected huge merit in the holistic way Hong Kong tackles corruption across the public and private sectors. The ICAC's three pronged strategy of operations, corruption prevention, and community education is of real quality. No wonder it has lasted 29 years and still forms a quality base for continued work".

ACC Sheridan continued: "On the course, we often discuss how to change values and behaviour to the benefit of our service and the public we serve. However it is a very difficult thing to do. Hong Kong's anti-corruption strategy has delivered such changes when many other approaches across the world have failed. We learned from the Hong Kong Police that they have embraced this approach and have great respect for the contribution and independence of the ICAC. As well as significant learning at a strategic level we will take back numerous hints and tips that have added value in Hong Kong and will help in the UK."