Abstract
Syndicated police corruption is a form of organization capture whereby police officers acting in concert engage in or facilitate illegal activities for profit. The syndicates collect bribes from licensing, protection money and other forms of extortion, and for non-performance of police duties. Eliminating these syndicates has proved an elusive and frustrating task. Their capacity to use coercive powers, the extent and resilience of their organizational base, the abundance of corruption opportunities, and the secrecy of their operations, all mean that success may be temporary. To break syndicates, essential requirements are that anti-corruption agencies are independent, have full powers of investigation and arrest, and are supported in their work by the government. To prevent the syndicates from re-emerging, attention needs to be paid to the organizational structure and integrity of the police force and to the willingness of the public to report corruption. This analysis is based on studies of police corruption in Hong Kong and elsewhere, on archival materials and court records, and on Hong Kong government and ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) documents.