Rupert Dover Explained

Rupert Dover
Birth Name:Rupert Timothy Alan Dover
Birth Date:19 August 1967
Birth Place:Hertford, United Kingdom
Serviceyears:1988–2024
Status:Retired
Rank:Assistant Commissioner

Rupert Timothy Alan Dover ([1] born 19 August 1967) is a retired British-born Assistant Commissioner and Regional Commander of Kowloon West with the Hong Kong Police Force.[2] He retired from the police force in January 2024.

Early life

Dover attended public school in Bedfordshire,[3] leaving Bedford School in 1985. After obtaining an archaeology degree from a British university,[4] Dover joined the then Royal Hong Kong Police Force in 1988 as a probationary inspector.[5]

Career

Dover joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force in 1988 as Inspector.[2] In 2002, Dover, as a Chief Inspector, was transferred to head the Airport Security Unit.[6] Dover was involved in policing the 2014 Hong Kong protests (Umbrella Revolution).[7] In 2016, he received the Chief Executive's Commendation for Government/Public Service.[8] [9]

In 2019, he commanded the police response to protests about a proposed extradition law on 12 June when the protesters surrounded the Legislative Council Complex in an attempt to stall the bill's second reading.[10] Dover and other officers, particularly non-Chinese, were criticised for their handling of the protests while also targeted with harassment and doxing.[11] [12] [13]

In February 2020, Dover was promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police and took over the position of Regional Commander, Kowloon West following the retirement of Michael Cheuk Hau Yip (卓孝業).[14] Dover has subsequently retired from the police force in 2024.[15] [16]

Property controversy

On 29 April 2020, in a tabloid-style investigation[17] during which two Next Magazine journalists were arrested on allegations of loitering,[18] [19] it was alleged that Dover's house, and another property linked to Dover, in a village in Clear Water Bay Peninsula had extant violations of building regulations. The property is built on government land, on conditions where residents are prohibited from selling, trading, or leasing out their houses.[20]

On 4 May, the Lands Department sent ten officials to inspect Dover's home to investigate.[21] On 26 May, the Land Department substantiated the allegations of illicit expansion works at Dover's residence, giving the license holder one month to rectify the situation with respect to the illegal structures.[22] Police Commissioner Chris Tang has accused Apple Dailys investigations on senior officers as being retaliation for the 18 April arrest of the paper's founder Jimmy Lai.[23]

Personal life

Rupert Dover is married to Cheung Ngar-sze (;[24] also known as Sze Dover), a sergeant in the Hong Kong Police Force.[25] [26]

Notes and References

  1. Chinese name in https://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/1066/chi/4196.html which corresponds to https://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/1066/eng/4196.html
  2. Web site: Senior Officers Hong Kong Police Force. Hong Kong Police Force. 4 May 2020. 15 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200815114551/https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/01_about_us/os_sofficers.html. live.
  3. Web site: Anger over the expat officers 'doing China's dirty work' : Ian Birrell. 25 August 2020. ianbirrell.com. 19 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201019154853/http://www.ianbirrell.com/anger-over-the-expat-officers-doing-chinas-dirty-work/. live.
  4. Web site: 搶救墜機 押解難民機場特警揭秘. 28 April 2020. Apple Daily. zh. [...]在英國大學竟然是讀考古學。. 21 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150321205732/http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/news/art/20031110/3653280. live.
  5. "Hong Kong protest leader confronts British officer", Richard Lloyd Parry, The Times, 9 July 2019, p. 26.
  6. Statistics: Top 30 World airports . Airports Council International . July 2008 . 15 October 2008 . 2 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191102104304/http://www.aci.aero/aci/aci/file/Press%20Releases/2008/TOP30_International%20Passengers_2007.pdf . live .
  7. Web site: Brits in HK police 'played key crackdown roles'. 24 June 2019. 2 May 2020. 13 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200113001302/https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/06/article/brits-in-hk-police-played-key-crackdown-roles/. live.
  8. Web site: Archived copy . 2 May 2020 . 20 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191020223124/https://www.csb.gov.hk/hkgcsb/csn/csn97/97e/pdf/csn97eng.pdf . live .
  9. Web site: 2016 Force Honours List . 2 May 2020 . 5 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191005074046/https://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/1066/eng/4196.html . live .
  10. News: Activists single out British officers in protests against Hong Kong police . . 2 May 2020 . 10 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190710095428/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/world/hong-kong-protesters-turn-ire-on-british-officers-after-clashes-with-police-over-china-extradition-bill-frg8b3hg3 . live .
  11. Web site: Brits in HK police 'played key crackdown roles'. Chen. Frank. 24 June 2019. Asia Times. 4 May 2020. 18 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200518010652/https://asiatimes.com/2019/06/brits-in-hk-police-played-key-crackdown-roles/. live.
  12. News: Activists single out British officers in protests against Hong Kong police. Sterwell. Phillip. 23 June 2019. The Times. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191116113645/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hong-kong-protesters-turn-ire-on-british-officers-after-clashes-with-police-over-china-extradition-bill-frg8b3hg3. 16 November 2019. 13 November 2019.
  13. Web site: Hong Kong's expat police officers targeted by protesters as doing Beijing's bidding. 17 July 2019. Hong Kong Free Press. 6 May 2020. 23 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200523210349/https://hongkongfp.com/2019/07/17/hong-kongs-expat-police-officers-targeted-protesters-beijings-bidding/. live.
  14. Web site: Wisdom sharing by retiring RC KW. Hong Kong Police Force. 11 May 2020. 25 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210625162023/https://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/1153/eng/8440.html. live.
  15. News: Wan . Hiu-ping 溫曉平 . 2024-01-03 . 鎮壓反送中外籍「主將」陶輝退休 許智峯促交待612開槍決定 . Rupert Dover, the foreign "chief general" in suppressing the anti-extradition movement, retired; Ted Hui urged him to explain the decision of 612 shooting . zh . . 2024-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240126085032/https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/htm/hk-police-01022024235855.html . 2024-01-26 .
  16. News: 2024-01-04 . 報道引述許智峯形容陶輝「政權劊子手」 警去信媒體不滿予逃犯發布 . The report quoted Rupert Dover describing Tao Hui as "the executioner of the regime". The police wrote to the media dissatisfied with the fugitive's publishing of untrue remarks. . zh . . 2024-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240126085747/https://www.am730.com.hk/本地/報道引述許智峯形容陶輝-政權劊子手-警去信媒體不滿予逃犯發布失實言論/421160 . 2024-01-26 .
  17. Web site: Watchdog urged to probe posting of reporter's photo on Facebook account. 2 May 2020. South China Morning Post. 14 May 2020. 13 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200513113548/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3082608/watchdog-urged-probe-appearance-reporters-photo-facebook. live.
  18. Web site: 壹週刊:記者清水灣追訪陶輝後被警帶走 嚴厲譴責警察濫權 阻揭警隊高層醜聞. 28 April 2020. Stand News. zh. Hong Kong. 25 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210625162047/https://www.thestandnews.com/media/%E5%A3%B9%E9%80%B1%E5%88%8A-%E8%A8%98%E8%80%85%E6%B8%85%E6%B0%B4%E7%81%A3%E8%BF%BD%E8%A8%AA%E9%99%B6%E8%BC%9D%E5%BE%8C%E8%A2%AB%E8%AD%A6%E5%B8%B6%E8%B5%B0-%E5%9A%B4%E5%8E%B2%E8%AD%B4%E8%B2%AC%E8%AD%A6%E5%AF%9F%E6%BF%AB%E6%AC%8A-%E9%98%BB%E6%8F%AD%E8%AD%A6%E9%9A%8A%E9%AB%98%E5%B1%A4%E9%86%9C%E8%81%9E/. live.
  19. Web site: 壹週刊嚴厲譴責警察濫用公權力 警方批評對方歪曲事實 . 28 April 2020 . 25 June 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210625162017/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/k2/1523296-20200429.htm . live .
  20. Web site: 【蘋果踢爆】陶輝私竇曝光!助理警務處長開公司賣冷氣零件 報住清水灣寮屋疑違法 . 28 April 2020 . 29 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200429070025/https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20200429/SY2336Q2UTAVIHWBKKSUM3TA3U/ . dead .
  21. Web site: Govt officials inspect Rupert Dover's home . RTHK . 4 May 2020 . 4 May 2020 . 5 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200505222347/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1524108-20200504.htm . live .
  22. Web site: Hong Kong properties linked to top police officers 'fall foul of government rules'. 27 May 2020. South China Morning Post. 27 May 2020. 27 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200527000225/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3086193/hong-kong-properties-linked-senior-police-officers-fall-foul. live.
  23. Web site: Hong Kong police chief accuses newspaper of running targeted campaign against him. 5 May 2020. South China Morning Post. 6 May 2020. 8 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200508122413/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3082996/hong-kong-police-chief-accuses-apple-daily-running. live.
  24. Web site: 【獨家有片|踢爆後匿入公廁】助理警務處長陶輝疑非法佔清水灣牌照屋 採訪後警察擄走記者. Next Magazine 壹週刊. zh-hk. 12 May 2020. 8 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200508051920/https://hk.nextmgz.com/article/2_737867_0. live.
  25. Web site: Watchdog urged to probe posting of reporter's photo on Facebook account. 2 May 2020. South China Morning Post. 4 May 2020. 3 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200503081001/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3082608/watchdog-urged-probe-appearance-reporters-photo-facebook. live.
  26. Web site: 【蘋果踢爆】目無法紀!陶輝與警妻非法出租千呎牌照屋作民宿 涉無牌經營旅館. Apple Daily. zh-hk. 4 May 2020. 2 May 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200502142811/https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20200501/XK6RW2TWO5P2QWBMD7Z4BJORFU/. live.