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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1978
NEW ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS APPOINTED
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THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR. TOM GARNER, TODAY ANNOUNCED THE PROMOTION OF MR. CHAN WA-SHEK TO THE RANK OF ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS - THE NUMBER THREE POST IN THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OPERATIONAL MATTERS.
MR. CHAN, AGED 48, JOINED THE DEPARTMENT AS A WARDER 27 YEARS AGO AND WAS PROMOTED TO OFFICER RANK IN 1956. HE HAS SERVED IN VARIOUS PENAL INSTITUTIONS AND IN 1966 BEGAN TO SPECIALISE IN THE TRAINING OF YOUNG OFFENDERS.
HIS FIRST OPERATIONAL COMMAND WAS AS THE CHIEF OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE SHEK PIK TRAINING CENTRE, NOW THE SHA TSUI DETENTION CENTRE.
MR. CHAN ALSO HELPED TO INTRODUCE THE DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE DEPARTMENT. AFTER A SPELL AS THE SECOND IN COMMAND IN STANLEY PRISON AND AS THE SUPERINTENDENT-IN-CHARGE OF TAI LAM TREATMENT CENTRE, HE BECAME THE PRINCIPAL OF THE STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE AT STANLEY.
IN 1976, MR. CHAN WAS POSTED TO THE HEADQUARTERS WHERE HE CONCENTRATED HIS WORK ON YOUNG OFFENDERS AND DRUG ADDICTS. HE WAS GIVEN TEMPORARY APPOINTEMENT TO HIS PRESENT POST IN APRIL THIS YEAR.
DURING HIS CAREER, MR. CHAN HAS ATTENDED A NUMBER OF COURSES ON SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK.
IN 1972 HE ATTENDED THE MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING COURSE AT THE PRISONS SERVICE STAFF COLLEGE IN ENGLAND, AND LATER OBTAINED A POST SECONDARY COLLEGE DIPLOMA IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AT THE SHUE YAN COLLEGE IN HONG KONG.
LAST YEAR, HE TOOK A MASTER DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, SPECIALISING IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CORRECTIONS.
MR. CHAN HAS VISITED PRISON DEPARTMENTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, J THE U.S.A. AND AUSTRALIA AND, IN 1974, HE REPRESENTED THE COMMISSIONER AT A SEMINAR ON PLANNING AND POLICY FOR CRIME CONTROL HELD AT THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY IN CANBERRA.
HE WAS AWARDED THE COLONIAL PRISONS SERVICE MEDAL IN 1969, AND THE CLASP IN 1976.
MR. CHAN IS MARRIED WITH TWO SONS.