# Secretary for Security

The Secretary for Security is the member of the Government of Hong Kong in charge of the Security Bureau, which is responsible for public safety, security, and immigration matters.
The post was created in 1973 and since the Principal Officials Accountability System was adopted in 2002, the Secretary for Security has been a member of the Executive Council. Before 1973, the office was known as the Secretary for Defence.
Areas of responsibility include:
* Police Force
* Correctional Services
* Immigration Department
* Customs and Excise Department
* Fire Services Department
* Government Flying Service
* Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

## List of office holders

Political party: Nonpartisan

### Defence Secretary, 1941

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Governor | Ref |
| 1 | | John Alexander Fraser 傅瑞憲 | April 1941 | 25 December 1941 | Mark Aitchison Young (1941) | |

### Defence Secretaries, 1957–1969

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Governor |
| 1 | Alastair Todd 陶雅禮 | 1957 | 19 October 1960 | Sir Alexander Grantham (1947–1957) |
| 1 | Alastair Todd 陶雅禮 | 1957 | 19 October 1960 | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 2 | Kenneth Strathmore Kinghorn 景韓 | 20 October 1960 | 22 November 1960 | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 3 | Donald Luddington 陸鼎堂 | 23 November 1960 | 17 December 1961 | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 4 | David Harold Jordan 左敦 | 18 December 1961 | 27 November 1966 | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 4 | David Harold Jordan 左敦 | 18 December 1961 | 27 November 1966 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 5 | Peter Barry Williams 衛理欽 | 28 November 1966 | 8 February 1967 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 6 | Jack Cater 姬達 | 9 February 1967 | 21 May 1967 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 7 | Peter Barry Williams 衛理欽 | 22 May 1967 | 31 March 1968 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 8 | Alastair Todd 陶雅禮 | 1 April 1968 | 9 August 1968 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 9 | Ian Macdonald Lightbody 黎保德 | 10 August 1968 | 19 February 1969 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 10 | Alastair Todd 陶雅禮 | 20 February 1969 | 1971 | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |

### Secretaries for Security, 1973–1997

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Governor |
| 1 | George Peter Lloyd 羅以德 | June 1973 | March 1974 | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |
| 2 | Lewis Mervyn Davis 戴宏志 | March 1974 | October 1982 | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |
| 2 | Lewis Mervyn Davis 戴宏志 | March 1974 | October 1982 | Sir Edward Youde (1982–1986) |
| 3 | David Jeaffreson 謝法新 | November 1982 | February 1988 | Sir Edward Youde (1982–1986) |
| 3 | David Jeaffreson 謝法新 | November 1982 | February 1988 | Sir David Wilson (1986–1992) |
| 4 | Geoffrey Barnes 班乃信 | February 1988 | February 1990 | Sir David Wilson (1986–1992) |
| 5 | Alistair Asprey 區士培 | February 1990 | February 1995 | Sir David Wilson (1986–1992) |
| 5 | Alistair Asprey 區士培 | February 1990 | February 1995 | Chris Patten (1992–1997) |
| 6 | Peter Lai 黎慶寧 | February 1995 | 30 June 1997 | Chris Patten (1992–1997) |

### Secretaries for Security, 1997–present

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Chief Executive | Term |
| 1 | Peter Lai Hing-ling 黎慶寧 | 1 July 1997 | 30 August 1998 | 1 year, 60 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2002) | 1 |
| 2 | Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee 葉劉淑儀 | 31 August 1998 | 3 August 2003 | 4 years, 337 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2002) | 1 |
| 2 | Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee 葉劉淑儀 | 31 August 1998 | 3 August 2003 | 4 years, 337 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2002) | 2 |
| 3 | Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong 李少光 | 4 August 2003 | 30 June 2012 | 8 years, 331 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2002) | 2 |
| 3 | Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong 李少光 | 4 August 2003 | 30 June 2012 | 8 years, 331 days | Donald Tsang (2005–2012) | 2 |
| 3 | Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong 李少光 | 4 August 2003 | 30 June 2012 | 8 years, 331 days | Donald Tsang (2005–2012) | 3 |
| 4 | Lai Tung-kwok 黎棟國 | 1 July 2012 | 30 June 2017 | 5 years, 0 days | Leung Chun-ying (2012–2017) | 4 |
| 5 | John Lee Ka-chiu 李家超 | 1 July 2017 | 24 June 2021 | 3 years, 359 days | Carrie Lam (2017–2022) | 5 |
| 6 | Chris Tang Ping-keung 鄧炳強 | 25 June 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 135 days | Carrie Lam (2017–2022) | 5 |
| 6 | Chris Tang Ping-keung 鄧炳強 | 25 June 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 135 days | John Lee (2022–present) | 6 |