I recognize that I make too many generalizations about groups of people, but I'm going to go ahead and make yet another. Both Terry and I have observed that the police officers we see here on Hong Kong Island generally look exceptionally civil. Sort of like the Asian incarnation of a picture of a smiling police officer from the Dick, Jane and Sally elementary school reading books that I grew up with, where you learned that police officers would bend down to talk to you and help you find your lost dog. The opposite of the tough bully types we saw too often last year in Shenzhen, and, frankly, in Minneapolis. Chinese police are underpaid and often have to report to corrupt government officials. U.S. police working in land o' guns understandably develop a tough veneer. You can see why they come off the way they do.
Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world. It has a low street crime rate and a clear rule of law. Gun ownership is extremely restricted, harkening to the British presence here. Organized crime has its hands on drug trafficking, money laundering and other illegal activities, but has little effect on street crime. So no wonder that it's easier for many of these Hong Kong police officers to look downright friendly when they're on the beat. They're a regular presence on the sidewalks, often walking in pairs.
Yesterday afternoon was the first time I'd seen an officer out with a dog, which ordinarily would up the tension a bit. But this guy looked so friendly I decided to ask him if I could take his picture. I was sort of surprised that he agreed. He even posed, looking at his specially-trained sidekick.
One more thing to like about Hong Kong.
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