Dick Lee Ming-kwai () is a retired

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

law enforcement administrator who formerly served as the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007.

Biography

Lee attended

The Chinese University of Hong Kong The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a public research university in Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, formally established in 1963 by a charter granted by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is the territory's second-oldest university ...

and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force (now

Hong Kong Police Force The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) is the primary law enforcement, investigative agency, and largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. The Royal Hong Kong Police Force (RHKPF) reverted to its former name after the t ...

) in 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 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 ...

(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 Chief superintendent is a senior rank in police forces, especially in those organised on the British model. Rank insignia of chief superintendent File:Sa-police-chief-superintendent.png, South Australia Police File:RCMP Chief Superintendent.pn ...

in 1992 and was the district commander of

Wan Chai Wan Chai is 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 n ...

. 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 boat people ( vi, Thuyền nhân Việt Nam), also known simply as boat people, refers to the refugees who fled Vietnam by boat and ship following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. This migration and humanitarian crisis was at its ...

detention centres across Hong Kong against the policy of mandatory

repatriation Repatriation is the process of returning a thing or a person to its country of origin or citizenship. The term may refer to non-human entities, such as converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country, as well as to the pro ...

. 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 A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...

to cover the noise of protesters at the

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) 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 Harbou ...

(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 An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including unde ...

. 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 Tsim Sha Tsui, often abbreviated as TST, is an urban 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 Tsi ...

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. Lee is related to former police commissioner Eddie Hui through marriage.

Retirement

Lee formally retired as Commissioner of Police on 15 January 2007. He began a year of paid leave until January 2008. He has stated on an

RTHK Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is the public broadcasting service in Hong Kong. GOW, the predecessor to RTHK, was established in 1928 as the first broadcasting service in Hong Kong. As a government department under the Commerce and Econo ...

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 CSB Press Release- Senior Appointments in the Police Force *1977 – Commanding Officer's Commendation *1990 – Colonial Police Long Service Medal *1994 – Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service *1997 –

Queen's Police Medal The King's Police Medal (KPM) is awarded to police in the United Kingdom for gallantry or distinguished service. It was also formerly awarded within the wider British Empire, including Commonwealth countries, most of which now have their own hono ...

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 Fellowship Honorary titles (professor, reader, lecturer) in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties. This practice primarily exists in the UK and Germany, as well as in m ...

Chinese University of Hong Kong The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a public research university in Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, formally established in 1963 by a charter granted by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is the territory's second-oldest university and ...

*2005 – Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal with Third Clasp *2007 –

Gold Bauhinia Star The Gold Bauhinia Star (, GBS) is the highest Bauhinia Star rank in the honours system of 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 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Mingkwai Hong Kong Police commissioners Government officials of Hong Kong 1950 births Living people Hong Kong civil servants Alumni of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Recipients of the Colonial Police Medal Hong Kong recipients of the Queen's Police Medal