Kenneth Kwok takes office as new police assistant commissioner for public relations: sources

Kenneth Kwok Ka-chuen has assumed office of a temporary new post of police assistant commissioner for public relations which oversees the police deployment related to the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover, sources said.

Kwok was promoted by one rank to the new post from being the police public relations branch’s chief superintendent, while his previous post has been taken over by Tai Po district deputy commander Karen Tsang Shuk-yin.

It is understood that Kwok’s new post -- assistant commissioner (special duty) (support) -- was created amid the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover, and is a temporary supernumerary directorate post.

Kwok will be responsible for providing suggestions to the police commissioner and senior officials related to public and media relations and coordinate with different departments within the police force.

He will also be the official police spokesman to disseminate important information to the media and the public on behalf of the police force.

Kwok graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s department of government and public administration in 1998.

He was transferred from the personnel wing to the public relations branch in November 2019, and had hosted regular police conferences that addressed arrests and operations on the social unrest.

The force is also applying to the Legislative Council to create a new assistant commissioner (public relations) post, but the application involving structural change in the force’s leadership, is still pending lawmakers’ approval.

It is understood that Kwok will be taking up the post after his current posting mid-this year at the earliest.

Sources earlier said the officer who holds the new position will be in charge of handling social media as well as dealing with relations among police, the public and the media.

Currently the public relations branch is under the police support wing, where Chan Yee-lai is the assistant commissioner.

All the 16 assistant commissioners are posted at the national security department, crime wing and personnel wing, among others.

The PR branch consists of four bureaus: community relations, media liaison and communication bureau, strategic communication bureau and information and publicity bureau.

A government standing committee on disciplined services said in a report in June last year that the police force has proposed creating additional directorate posts.

"For Hong Kong Police Force's proposals, we note and recognize the unprecedented challenges faced by Hong Kong police force in recent years, arising from the changing political, social and demographic environments in Hong Kong," sources said.