{{Short description|Commissioner of Police, Hong Kong}} {{family name hatnote|Chow|Joe Chow|Chow Yat-ming|lang=Hong Kong}} {{Multiple issues| {{Promotional|date=May 2022}} {{COI|date=May 2022}} }} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Joe Chow | image = Joe Chow 2025.jpg | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=HKG|size=100%|PMSM}} | alt = | caption = Chow in 2025 | office = Commissioner of Police | term_start = 2 April 2025 | predecessor = Raymond Siu | 1blankname = {{nowrap|Chief Executive}} | 1namedata = John Lee Ka-chiu | native_name = {{lang|zh|周一鳴}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|11|30|df=y}} | birth_place = British Hong Kong | death_date = | death_place = | education = St. Paul's College Hong Kong<br>Chinese University of Hong Kong (BS)<br>University of Hong Kong (MPA) }} '''Joe Chow Yat-ming''', PMSM (Chinese: {{lang|zh|周一鳴}}; born 30 November 1972) is the current Commissioner of Police in Hong Kong since 2 April 2025.
== Career == Chow joined the Force in 1995 as an Inspector of Police.<ref name="hkfp_20250402"/> He has past experience in criminal investigation, intelligence gathering, and policy-making at many levels. In 2010, Chow was promoted to Superintendent<ref name="hkfp_20250402"/> and served in the Crime Wing Headquarters. Between 2012 and 2013, he was seconded to Interpol General Secretariat in Lyon, France as a Criminal Intelligence Officer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Senior Officers {{!}} Hong Kong Police Force |url=https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/01_about_us/os_sofficers.html |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=www.police.gov.hk}}</ref>
In 2013, soon after Chow got promoted to Senior Superintendent, he took up the office of Criminal Intelligence Bureau as the deputy in command. He later assumed the post of Chief Superintendent and commanded the bureau from 2016.<ref name="hkfp_20250402"/>
In 2017, Chow served as the District Commander of Yau Tsim Mong District and was subsequently appointed as the Deputy Regional Commander of Kowloon West Region in early 2019. During his tenure in Kowloon West Region, he handled the Polytechnic University Siege<ref name="hkfp_20250402"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=PolyU siege commander appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/189499/PolyU-siege-commander-appointed-as-Deputy-Commissioner-of-Police |access-date=2022-05-16 |work=The Standard }}</ref> in November 2019. He was promoted to Assistant Commissioner in February 2020 and in charge of the Operations Wing and then the Personnel Wing. In January 2021, he was promoted to Senior Assistant Commissioner and worked as the Director of Personnel and Training. In August 2021, he took up the office of the Director of Crime and Security.<ref name=":1" />
In April 2022, Chow was appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management).<ref name=":1" />
On 2 April 2025, Chow was appointed by the State Council of China as the Commissioner of Police.<ref name="hkfp_20250402">{{cite web |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2025/04/02/joe-chow-takes-helm-at-hong-kong-police-force-as-raymond-siu-sanctioned-by-us-retires/ |title=Joe Chow takes helm at Hong Kong Police Force, as Raymond Siu – sanctioned by US – retires |first=Tom |last=Grundy |work=Hong Kong Free Press |date=2025-04-02 |access-date=2025-04-29}}</ref>
== Controversies and views == In 2019, Chow was the commander of the police operation during the siege of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.<ref name=":0" /> He led officers to block all exits to Hong Kong Polytechnic University and announced that anyone leaving would be arrested for rioting. Additionally, police snipers fired tear gas from the building opposite to the Polytechnic whilst riot police worked on the ground.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Needham |first=Kirsty |date=2019-11-17 |title=Riot police storm Hong Kong Polytechnic University after all-night siege |url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/riot-police-storm-hong-kong-polytechnic-university-after-all-night-siege-20191118-p53bgw.html |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> Rubber bullets were also shot at protesters and volunteer medics who would have otherwise assisted injured protesters had been arrested.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrest of Medical Staff During Hong Kong University Siege Sparks Furor |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/medical-11222019130855.html |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=Radio Free Asia |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> Journalists who were leaving the campus during the siege were also lined against the walls, had their belongings searched, and had details of their identity documents and passports recorded.<ref name=":3" />
Upon the end of Polytechnic University Siege, Chow stated that “the force is happy to see that the process has been conducted peacefully, and I want to reiterate that we have always followed two main principles, ‘peaceful resolution’ and ‘flexibility’”.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Holmes |date=2019-11-29 |title=Hong Kong police lift siege on Polytechnic University after 12 days |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2019/11/29/hong-kong-police-lift-siege-polytechnic-university-12-days/ |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}</ref> He reiterated that “Police have zero tolerance for violence or lawbreaking, and we will continue to investigate this case”.<ref name=":2" />
== Honours == * {{flag|Hong Kong}} : ** 50px Recipient of the Police Medal for Meritorious Service (PMSM) (2021) ** Police Long Service Medal First Claps (2020) ** 50px Recipient of the Police Long Service Medal (2013) ** 50px Tide Rider Medal Courage (2020)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/1176/chi/9022.html |title=「踏浪者」行動獎章頒授典禮 |website=www.police.gov.hk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824020036/https://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/1176/chi/9022.html |archive-date=2023-08-24 |access-date=2024-01-02}}</ref> ** Chief Executive's Commendation for Public Service (2020)
== References == {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-civ|pol}} {{s-bef|before= Raymond Siu}} {{s-ttl|title= Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong |years=2025–Present}} {{s-after|after = Incumbent}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chow Yat Ming, Joe}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Hong Kong Police commissioners Category:People from British Hong Kong