Dr Lawrence Ka-ki HO researches history and sociology of policing, comparative policing practices, public order management and criminal justice systems. His latest research also extends to sports and society in Greater China. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and an Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Criminology at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). After receiving his M. Phil. degree in politics & Ph. D. degree in Sociology (Criminology) in HKU, he teaches in universities and researches in collaboration with practitioners, and regularly engages in the ‘Knowledge Transfer’ Projects in addition to academic publications. He started his career as policy researcher in political parties and NGOs, then teaching politics, sociology and general education subjects in universities before assuming his first faculty position in the Department of Political Science at Lingnan University in 2009. He joined the Department of Social Sciences as Lecturer in HKIed in 2012 and was promoted to tenured track Assistant Professor in 2015.  

Lawrence's research interest concentrates on history and sociology of policing, comparative policing practices, public order management, criminal justice systems and public policies. He is currently engaging in several research projects on comparative policing practices, including the Comparative Policing in Asia in Post-COVID19; Decolonized Hong Kong and Macau Policing; Comparative Police Oversight Mechanisms in Asia; Social Media and Policing; Transforming Role of Policewomen; Community Policing & Reforms of Police; Recruitment, Training of Police in Asia; Job Satisfaction of Policing Personnel; Pluralization of Policing and Private Policing in Practice; Youth, Ethnic Minorities, Deviance & Policing. Research projects on sports & society include ‘The Youth Uniformed Groups’; ‘Communal Identities for the Sustainable Development of Sports’ & ‘Sports, mental well-being and personal development’; and 'Women and Grassroots Football Development in Hong Kong'.

Courses taught/ teaching in EdUHK

SSC 2044/ SSC 3276 Hong Kong Studies

SSC 3054 Perspectives on Citizenship

SSC 4218 Hong Kong Policing

GEG 1045 Soccer Politics and Administration

SSC 3232 Politics, Public Administration and Policies in Hong Kong

COC 1016 Understanding Social Policies

SSC 1252 Approaching Social Sciences

INS 4910 Honor Project

INS 2028 Undergraduate Student Internship

SSC 6228 Research Project

Research Affiliations & External Appointments

Sep 2005- Member, Asian Association of Police Studies (AAPS)

Sep 2007- Fellow, Centre for Criminology, The University of Hong Kong

Mar 2012- 2016 Honorary Service Learning Fellow, The Office of Service Learning, Lingnan University

Jan 2013- Dec 2018 Council Member, Hong Kong Sociological Association

Jan 2015- 2016 Academic Advisor, Lingnan University Community College

Sep 2015- 2018 Honorary Consultant, Hong Kong Police Old Comrades' Association

Sep 2015- External Examiner, Hong Kong College of Technology

May 2017 Visiting Scholar, Center of Macau Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau

Jan 2016- Research Fellow, The Academy of Hong Kong Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong

Sep 2017- External Examiner & Academic Assessor, Advanced Diploma in Applied Social Sciences (Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement), Hong Kong University School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKUSPACE)

Aug 2017- 2018 Academic Advisor, Hong Kong Police Inspectors' Association

Oct 2017- Academic Advisor, Hong Kong Fire Services Department Ambulancemen's Union

July 2019 - Member of Academic Peer Group, Master of Social Sciences Program, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, The Open University of Hong Kong