PUBLIC ORDER
Promotions
Promotion prospects in the force remained healthy. In 1998, 31 officers were promoted to the rank of Senior Superintendent and above, 11 Chief Inspectors and 19 Senior Inspectors to Superintendent and Chief Inspector respectively, 12 Station Sergeants to Inspector, 58 Sergeants to Station Sergeant and 304 Police Constables to Sergeant. Within the civilian grades, 33 general grade and 19 departmental grade officers were promoted.
During the year, some 246 disciplined officers retired from the force. Among them, 15 were invalided out, 219 resigned, 21 were transferred to other departments, and 23 were either dismissed or had their services terminated. Likewise, 326 general grade and 99 departmental grade civilian staff left the Force.
Welfare
The Personnel Services Branch provides a wide range of support services to force members and their families, including personal and family welfare, psychological consultations, assistance with retirement, sports and recreation facilities and activities, catering and the allocation and maintenance of departmental quarters. These are augmented by the Police Welfare Fund, which derives its income mainly from public donations.
During the year, branch staff conducted 4 548 casework interviews, and paid 7 400 visits to sick and injured officers in hospital or at their homes. These were supported by a programme of Family Life Education with emphasis on the importance of improving the quality of family life.
Psychological counselling services are provided to force members and their families. With an increasing demand for these services, two additional Clinical Psychologists joined the force in October, with an additional post to be created in early 1999. This will bring the total strength of the unit to one Senior and five Clinical Psychologists. It will allow the opening of a full-time office in Kowloon to improve the accessibility of these services, and the implementation of plans for increasing the training and education in stress management for all officers.
The Police Catering Division underwent a major review during the year. Most food preparation duties have been contracted out to the private sector. The division's principal role is to oversee the introduction of modern catering practices in police canteens and constantly supervise contractors to ensure the hygiene standard. It will continue to arrange catering for officers involved in major crowd control and emergency situations.
Force Housing
The Police Quartering Division allocates and manages some 11 622 quarters for JPOs and 647 for inspectorate officers.
A fast track plan was announced during the year to redevelop 3 000 old quarters of a lower standard on five major sites and replace them with modern new flats to be built on four other sites, mainly in Kowloon. These flats will be ready for occupation in 2001. The existing sites will then be released for redevelopment.
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