Lee Ming-kwai
Encyclopedia
Lee Ming-kwai, Dick, GBS
, QPM
, CPM
(born 1950) was the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong
from 2003 to 2007.
and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force (now Hong Kong Police Force) on December 1972 as a Probationary Inspector.
He served as an inspector in both uniform branches and CID
in various police divisions in Hong Kong. As a superintendent, he was placed in charge briefly of training and reforming the Hawker Control Unit of the Urban Services Department
(now the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
). Later, he was posted to a police school in the United Kingdom
.
He was promoted to Chief Superintendent
in 1992 and was the district commander of Wan Chai
.
In 1995, Lee was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. During this period, he was in charge of restoring order after rioting broke out at Vietnamese boat people
detention centres across Hong Kong against the policy of mandatory repatriation
.
Lee was in charge of the security of the Handover Ceremony in 1997. He became well known for ordering the playing of Beethoven's 5th Symphony over a PA system
to cover the noise of protesters at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
(HKCEC). He received a commendation from the Chief Executive of the HKSAR
for his efforts during the handover period.
Lee was promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner in 1998 and Deputy Commissioner in 2001. He was appointed Commissioner of Police in 2003. He is the first Chinese Commissioner of Police with a university degree
.
Lee was well received by both the rank and file and senior officers of the police force. He had a reputation for being an operational commissioner, frequently visiting frontline units and participating in raids on vice premises. Lee would personally visit all colleagues injured on duty. He personally visited the scene of the fatal shooting
of a police officer by another in Tsim Sha Tsui
in the small hours of 17 March 2006.
Lee's handling of militant Korean protesters during the 6th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in December 2006 earned him local and international acclaim. Over 1000 protesters were arrested after attacking police officers and police cordons at the HKCEC with minimal casualties.
Gold Bauhinia Star
The Gold Bauhinia Star is the highest rank in Order of the Bauhinia Star in Hong Kong, created in 1997 to replace the British honours system of the Order of the British Empire after the transfer of sovereignty to People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special...
, QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
, CPM
Colonial Police Medal
The Colonial Police Medal is a medal awarded for gallantry or distinguished service to police officers in British Overseas Territories and formerly in Crown Colonies and British Dependent Territories. Officers from these areas can also be awarded the Queen's Police Medal, which is considered to be...
(born 1950) was the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
from 2003 to 2007.
Biography
Lee attended The Chinese University of Hong KongChinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force (now Hong Kong Police Force) on December 1972 as a Probationary Inspector.
He served as an inspector in both uniform branches and CID
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
in various police divisions in Hong Kong. As a superintendent, he was placed in charge briefly of training and reforming the Hawker Control Unit of the Urban Services Department
Urban Services Department
Urban Services Department was a government department in Hong Kong. It carried out the policies and managed the facilities of the former Urban Council.After being abolished with the Urban Council in 1999, its functions were inherited by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure...
(now the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department , or FEHD for short, is a department of Hong Kong Government, reporting to the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau. It is The department is responsible for food hygiene and environmental hygiene...
). Later, he was posted to a police school in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
He was promoted to Chief Superintendent
Chief Superintendent
Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces organised on the British model.- United Kingdom :In the British police, a chief superintendent is senior to a superintendent and junior to an assistant chief constable .The highest rank below Chief Officer level, chief...
in 1992 and was the district commander of Wan Chai
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
.
In 1995, Lee was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police. During this period, he was in charge of restoring order after rioting broke out at Vietnamese boat people
Vietnamese people in Hong Kong
Many of the Vietnamese people in Hong Kong immigrated as a result of the war and persecution in Vietnam since the mid-1970s. There is however also small but growing community of diaspora vietnamese being sent to Hong Kong forming an expatriate community, from countries far afield like Australia,...
detention centres across Hong Kong against the policy of mandatory repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
.
Lee was in charge of the security of the Handover Ceremony in 1997. He became well known for ordering the playing of Beethoven's 5th Symphony over a PA system
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
to cover the noise of protesters at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
(HKCEC). He received a commendation from the Chief Executive of the HKSAR
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
for his efforts during the handover period.
Lee was promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner in 1998 and Deputy Commissioner in 2001. He was appointed Commissioner of Police in 2003. He is the first Chinese Commissioner of Police with a university degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
.
Lee was well received by both the rank and file and senior officers of the police force. He had a reputation for being an operational commissioner, frequently visiting frontline units and participating in raids on vice premises. Lee would personally visit all colleagues injured on duty. He personally visited the scene of the fatal shooting
Shootout
A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups....
of a police officer by another in Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
in the small hours of 17 March 2006.
Lee's handling of militant Korean protesters during the 6th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation in December 2006 earned him local and international acclaim. Over 1000 protesters were arrested after attacking police officers and police cordons at the HKCEC with minimal casualties.
Retirement
Lee formally retired as Commissioner of Police on January 15, 2007. He will begin a year of paid leave until January 2008. He has stated on an RTHK interview that he will no longer work for a salary after his retirement and intends to spend more time with his family and promoting local sports in Hong Kong.Awards
- 1975 - Commanding Officer's Commendation
- 1977 - Commanding Officer's Commendation
- 1990 - Colonial Police Long Service Medal
- 1994 - Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service
- 1997 - Queen's Police MedalQueen's Police MedalThe Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
for Distinguished Service - 1997 - Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal with First Clasp
- 1998 - Chief Executive's Commendation
- 2002 - Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal with Second Clasp
- 2004 - Honorary FellowshipHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
, Chinese University of Hong KongChinese University of Hong KongThe Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao... - 2005 - Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal with Third Clasp
- 2007 - Gold Bauhinia StarGold Bauhinia StarThe Gold Bauhinia Star is the highest rank in Order of the Bauhinia Star in Hong Kong, created in 1997 to replace the British honours system of the Order of the British Empire after the transfer of sovereignty to People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special...