Speaking during a briefing on the law and order situation last year in the Legislative Council, Commissioner of Police Tsang Wai-hung re-emphasized that the Hong Kong Police Force would, as always, continue to act strictly in accordance with the law. In doing so the trust and confidence the public place in the police remains crucial.

Tsang has surprisingly good news for the public, even though the 79-day "Occupy Central" greatly inconvenienced the city: Hong Kong's crime rate in all categories dropped by more than 7 percent from the previous year - marking a 41-year low since 1973. Compared with other major cities such as New York, London and Paris, Hong Kong's overall crime rate is at a significantly low level, making it one of the safest cities in the world.

However, the illegal sit-ins last year strained police manpower. A large number of police officers had to be deployed to deal with the "Occupy" movement which lasted from September to December. It is believed this may have affected the crime detection rate.

Tsang called upon certain groups to end their confrontational attitudes. His warning is worth listening to. In retrospect, in launching "Occupy", a group of radicals irresponsibly encouraged unscrupulous protesters to follow them - especially young people. They demanded the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) scrap its ruling on political reform. This was unrealistic and unattainable.

Now, it is not too late for these hot-headed activists to reflect on their humiliating failure and change their inflexible attitudes when dealing with political issues. It is important for the opposition to be realistic and to stop blaming the central government. It is really their confrontational tactics, in tandem with alleged meddling by foreign forces, which is upsetting Beijing.

Hong Kong's police, by acting in a professional and restrained manner during the "Occupy" protests, again showed why they are one of the world's best law enforcement forces. The police are the pride of Hong Kong people and the envy of many cities around the world. Without their outstanding performance and determination, government operations could have broken down during "Occupy". Moreover, Hong Kong's economy could have been badly affected.

It is the SAR government's constitutional duty to govern in accordance with the law, and the police force's obligation to safeguard the rule of the law is a cornerstone of Hong Kong's many successes. It is clear that in future, the police will be more than able to handle any social crisis - competently and effectively.

(HK Edition 01/28/2015 page1)