15
TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1991
THE NUMBER OF POLICE CONSTABLE APPLICATIONS IN MARCH-APRIL THIS YEAR WAS ALMOST TRIPLE THOSE DURING THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR.
INSPECTORATE RECRUIT APPLICATIONS FOLLOW THE SAME TREND.
IN
EXPLAINING THE BACKGROUND TO NEW ENCOURAGING INDICATIONS RECRUITMENT, SENIOR STAFF OFFICER (RECRUITMENT) ERIC LEUNG SAID: "IN RECENT YEARS RECRUITMENT HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM FOR EMPLOYERS IN HONG KONG, NOT LEAST THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE. THE BOOMING ECONOMY HAS CREATED MANY JOBS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
"PREMATURE WASTAGE IN THE FORCE HAS ALSO BEEN AT A HIGHER LEVEL AS OFFICERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUTSIDE OPPORTUNITIES.
"ALSO, BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR EXPANSION, POLICE RECRUITMENT TARGETS HAVE RISEN MORE THAN TWO-FOLD FROM 1,000 IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1986-87 TO 2,310 IN 1988-89 AND ONWARDS.
"AS A RESULT, THE POLICE
INTENSIFIRD OVER PAST YEARS."
RECRUITMENT PROBLEM HAS BEEN
MR LEUNG SAID APPLICATIONS TO JOIN THE FORCE AT CONSTABLE LEVEL BEFORE SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR WERE CONSISTENTLY DOWN ON THE CORRESPONDING PERIODS FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR,
APTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT
PAY RISE FOR JUN BOR
POLICE BETWEEN
OFFICERS THERE WAS AN ENCOURAGING INCREASE OF 28 PER CENT SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR BUT BY DECEMBER APPLICATIONS HAD ALMOST FALLEN BACK TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S LEVEL.
11
MR LEUNG SAID: SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR APPLICATIONS TO JOIN THE FORCE HAVE MORE
HAN DOUBLEN. FOLLOWING A RELATIVELY QUIET PERIOD BEFORE THE FESTIVF SPASON IN FEBRUARY APPLICATIONS INCREASED STILL FURTHER IN MARCH AND APRIL. TRADITIONAL JOR SWITCHING AFTER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR IS A REGULAR SEASONAL FACTOR."
APPLICANTS
SHOWED
MR LEUNG SAID CONVERSATIONS WITH CONSTABLE THAT PAY REMAINED AN IMPORTANT ATTRACTION. ALMOST HALF SAID SALARY WAS THEIR FIRST CONSIDERATION.
AVERAGE SALARY OF APPLICANTS WAS AROUND
$5,500 COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ANTRY SALARY
$7,500-$i, 965 FOR RECRUIT CONSTABLES, WHICH ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE FOLLOWING A PAY REVIEW LAST YEAR.
FI
"BUT IF PAY HAS INDEED BREN THE ONLY INFLUENCE, MR LEUNG SAID, "APPLICATIONS SHOULD HAVE BUILT OP TO A GREATER EXTENT AFTER SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR LIKE THE DRAMAT DE INCREASE A'T THE TURN OF THE YEAR.
"CERTAINLY RECENT WORLD FAENTS WORRIES AND UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT THE PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR MORE STARLE POLICE FORCE.
LIKE THE GULF WAR I-CONOMY
AND
SECURE
HAVE LED TO AND THIS HAD LED ΤΟ JOBS SUCH AS IN THE
/"WHAT IS