This study explores the help-seeking and help-giving behaviours of young people and police officers in Hong Kong, offering one of the first qualitative comparisons of their perspectives. Drawing on a sample of eighty-five participants, including forty-two young people with arrest experiences and forty-three police officers, this research delves into how help-seeking from the police is articulated. Grounded in the theory of planned behaviour, the study explores how attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control shape help-seeking intentions and actions. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data identified four major themes and twelve subthemes from the participants’ narratives. Hong Kong’s unique socio-political context offers a distinctive perspective for understanding these interactions. The findings underscore the need to address the help-seeking needs of young offenders and emphasize the importance of restoring police legitimacy.