There is hardly any doubt that the vast majority of our community gives unreserved support to our police force.

In recent weeks, without the loyal hard work and tremendous sacrifice of the police to maintain law and order Hong Kong could have descended into chaos and anarchy.

It is worth reminding ourselves what would happen if such an unhappy occurrence as anarchy were to befall Hong Kong.

It is spelt out very clearly, and ominously, in the Basic Law.

If Hongkong becomes anarchic its autonomy ceases.

The actual words are in article 18 of the Basic Law, which states unequivocally that if there is "turmoil" that "endangers national unity or security and is beyond the control" of Hong Kong, then the National People's Congress can declare a state of emergency and apply the "relevant national laws" in Hong Kong.

Turmoil in Hong Kong gives the mainland the right to enforce its laws - and, of course, the abrogation of the one country two systems principle.

It's one more reason why the tumult within the Legislative Council augurs badly for the well-being of Hong Kong.

The quiet majority must be aghast at the harm the black protesters have done.

A ruthless, highly determined faction, arranged by social media apps, brought Hong Kong to the edge of the cliff that marks the boundary between law and anarchy.

Smashing up Legco is the behavior of anarchists, not the acceptable behavior of demonstrators seeking change.

Some politicians and well-educated people even had the effrontery to suggest the police were setting a trap to discredit the protestors when they allowed them to enter Legco.

I believe such ideas are nonsense.

There are over 30,000 officers who do a brilliant job safeguarding nearly eight million Hongkongers.

The force enjoys the trust and admiration of the overwhelming majority population.

In the past, when there have been rare lapses in the high standards expected of the police, there have been investigations and they are why the Independent Police Complaints Council was set up in 2009.

Any complaint about police behavior is investigated by the Complaints Against Police Office, which in turn has a statutory duty to report to the 30-member IPCC.

The IPCC is appointed from a wide spectrum of society, including lawyers, doctors and businessmen, and boasts of drawing upon the "diverse expertise" of the community.

The IPCC provides a counter-balance to CAPO and enjoys extensive powers further to investigate any complaint. It can come to a divergent view and does not have to agree with CAPO.

Beyond both CAPO and the IPCC, the chief executive has the ultimate power.

Some people are skeptical of the present arrangements regarding the dual roles of CAPO and IPCC, saying the two bodies are weak, ineffective and timid. They are said to take too long to make decisions.

But the strength of the arrangements is that it tries to strike a balance between public trust in the police and the maintenance of social order.

In these perilous times, when the police have been subjected to vitriolic abuse it is more important than ever that society must support the police unequivocally.

Because a segment of the protesters apparently despise the police, it is essential that society does not pander to the demands of the protesters.

To do so will besmirch the reputation of the police, further weakening their self-esteem and morale.

Cheng Huan is an author and a senior counsel who practices in Hong Kong