The Director of Crime and Security of the Hong Kong Police, Keith Yip Wan-lung, was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) with effect from today.
Yip is taking up the post following the appointment of former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Joe Chow Yat-ming as the Commissioner of Police on April 2.
Sing Tao Daily, the sister publication of The Standard, exclusively reported in March that Yip will be promoted to one of the three second-highest ranks in the police hierarchy following the appointment of Chow as the head of the police force.
Yip, known for his extensive experience within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has devoted considerable efforts to addressing technology-related crimes -- particularly fraud -- in recent years.
Since December 2022, he has been at the helm of the newly established Cybercrime Policing Advisory Panel (CPAP), collaborating with experts and leaders from the technology sector to address the risks of crime and fraud involving technologies and AI.
Yip joined the police as an Inspector in 1991. Between 2013 and 2014, he was seconded to the Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France.
Yip assumed the office of Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) in October 2020 upon promotion. In April 2022, he became the Director of Crime and Security upon promotion to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner.
He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's Degree in Administrative Leadership, and attended courses at the Chinese Academy of Governance, the Peking University, the Australian Institute of Police Management, the FBI National Academy, the International Pearl Fishers Action Learning Group and the John Kennedy School of Government, Harvard.
In an exclusive interview with the police publication "OffBeat" last year, Yip shared his childhood experiences growing up in a public housing estate, where he witnessed the victimization of the weak by gangsters.
The experience instilled in him a resolve to combat violence and protect the community. Consequently, he decided to abandon his civil engineering major to join the police force and become a trainee inspector.
During the interview, Yip also addressed the issue of fraud cases, acknowledging it as a significant global challenge. He noted that the police force has established a training program in collaboration with the Science Park to enhance the expertise and skill sets of the officers.
Yip also emphasized the contributions of CPAP, highlighting its role as a vital conduit for addressing the challenges posed by innovative technologies, enhancing the effectiveness of police investigations, combating money laundering activities, and effectively curbing the rise of technology-related crimes.
(Kelvin Wan)
(Updated at 9.28am)
