Why do policemen break the law
Why do policemen break the law?
A Case study of Police Constable Tsui Po-ko
Introduction
The role of policeman is very important. Policemen help to prevent and detect crime in the society, so that we can have a safe and stable society. If a policeman commits crime, the public will lose trust towards the police. It will influence the public order in the society.
This paper aims to analyze the causes and factors which contributed to the commission of serious crime by policemen in Hong Kong through the case of Mr. Tsui Po-ko who was a police constable. For better illustration, the background of the case including the fact will be pointed out first. Strain theories will be applied to explain the causes of Tsui Po-ko to commit the crime. At Marco level, Merton’s strain theory of social structure and anomie will be discussed. At Micro Level, Agnew’s general strain theory will be discussed to give a comprehensive theoretical analysis.
Background of the case
Mr. Tsui Po-ko was a police constable in the Hong Kong Police Force who was implicated in three crimes including bank robbery and murder. In March 2001, a police constable Leung Shing-yan was being shot by Tsui Po-ko when Leung dealt with a noise complaint in Tsuen Wan. Leung’s gun and back up bullets were stolen. Leung was killed. Nine months later, in December 2001, Tsui used the stolen gun for the bank robbery in Tsuen Wan Hang Seng Bank. He killed the security guide and got HKD $500,000. After 5 years, in March 2006, Tsui and two police constable Sin Ka Keung and Tsang Kwok Hang had a fatal shooting in a subway in Tsim Sha Tsui. Finally, Tsui was shot and died. However, Tsang also died in the fatal shooting while Sin was seriously injured (“Tsui Po-ko was offender”, 2007).
Background of Tsui Po-ko
Personal and family background
Tsui Po-ko was born in china in 1969. He migrated to Hong Kong at 7 years old. He lived with his parents and brother. His parents divorced when Tsui was 19. He revealed in the
A Case study of Police Constable Tsui Po-ko
Introduction
The role of policeman is very important. Policemen help to prevent and detect crime in the society, so that we can have a safe and stable society. If a policeman commits crime, the public will lose trust towards the police. It will influence the public order in the society.
This paper aims to analyze the causes and factors which contributed to the commission of serious crime by policemen in Hong Kong through the case of Mr. Tsui Po-ko who was a police constable. For better illustration, the background of the case including the fact will be pointed out first. Strain theories will be applied to explain the causes of Tsui Po-ko to commit the crime. At Marco level, Merton’s strain theory of social structure and anomie will be discussed. At Micro Level, Agnew’s general strain theory will be discussed to give a comprehensive theoretical analysis.
Background of the case
Mr. Tsui Po-ko was a police constable in the Hong Kong Police Force who was implicated in three crimes including bank robbery and murder. In March 2001, a police constable Leung Shing-yan was being shot by Tsui Po-ko when Leung dealt with a noise complaint in Tsuen Wan. Leung’s gun and back up bullets were stolen. Leung was killed. Nine months later, in December 2001, Tsui used the stolen gun for the bank robbery in Tsuen Wan Hang Seng Bank. He killed the security guide and got HKD $500,000. After 5 years, in March 2006, Tsui and two police constable Sin Ka Keung and Tsang Kwok Hang had a fatal shooting in a subway in Tsim Sha Tsui. Finally, Tsui was shot and died. However, Tsang also died in the fatal shooting while Sin was seriously injured (“Tsui Po-ko was offender”, 2007).
Background of Tsui Po-ko
Personal and family background
Tsui Po-ko was born in china in 1969. He migrated to Hong Kong at 7 years old. He lived with his parents and brother. His parents divorced when Tsui was 19. He revealed in the
References: Agnew, R., and Brezina, T. (2010). "Strain Theories." In McLaughlin E. and Newburn, N. (ed.) The SAGE Handbook of Criminological Theory. London: Sage, pp 96-113. Five psychologists to 30,000 policemen. (2008, November 29). Hong Kong Daily News, p. A01. Merton, R. K. (1938). Social structure and anomie. American Sociological Review, 3, pp. 672-682. Lo, W.H., and Wong, K.K. (2007, April 26). TSUI Po-ko court – From Good Police to Evil of Police, Hong Kong Economic Times, p. A28. Lonely person – No close friends. (2007, March 29). Hong Kong Economic Times, p. A26. Police Murder Case – Court 14th day. (2007, March 17). Mingpao, p. A04. Siegel, L.J. (2010). Criminology – Theories, Patterns, and Typologies (10th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Tsang, K.M. and Chow, S.L. (2007, March 27). Police Murder Case – Court 20th day. Mingpao, p.A04. Tsui Po-ko was offender. (2007, April 26). Sing Pao, p. A01. Wolfe, S. E., & Piquero, A. R. (2011). Organizational justice and police misconduct. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38(4), 332-353.