35
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1992
1
ANNOUNCING THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SAID: "THE ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN A TWO-STEP APPROACH TO TACKLING THE PROBLEM OF POLICE MANPOWER SHORTAGES.
"FIRST, A STUDY GROUP WAS APPOINTED, AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, TO ΤΟ IDENTIFY THE CAUSES OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DIFFICULTIES AMONG JPOS AND TO RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS WHICH CAN BE IMPLEMENTED QUICKLY.
"SECOND, A REVIEW TEAM WILL EXAMINE THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENT, AS WELL AS THE MANAGEMENT AND COMMAND STRUCTURE, OF THE POLICE FORCE SO AS TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE MANNING SCALES TO MEET OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NEXT DECADE.'
MR WIGGHAM UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG POLICE FORCE, IN TERMS OF BOTH NUMBERS AND MORALE, IN MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER FOR THE CONTINUED STABILITY OF HONG KONG.
HE EMPHASISED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN A LONG-TERM VIEW OF THE POLICE MANPOWER SITUATION IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, SUCH AS THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE BRITISH FORCES AND THE GROWING TRAFFIC ACROSS THE BORDER WITH CHINA.
"WE ARE NOT MERELY RESPONDING TO RECENT EVENTS, SAID, "BUT ALSO PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE.
THE
"
"
MR WIGGHAM
FIRST STUDY, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETED, REVEALED THAT THE JPO STRENGTH AS AT APRIL 1, 1992 WAS ABOUT 800 LESS THAN THREE YEARS AGO, DUE TO A COMBINATION OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION DIFFICULTIES, WHEREAS POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE NUMBER OF VIOLENT CRIMES, PARTICULAR, ARMED ROBBERIES AND USE OF FIREARMS BY CRIMINALS, INCREASED OVER THE SAME PERIOD.
ALTHOUGH RECRUITMENT HAS
IMPROVED SINCE OCTOBER 1991, NUMBER TAKEN ON STRENGTH WAS STILL CONSISTENTLY BELOW TARGET.
IN
HAD
THE
"AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND AND IN VIEW OF THE PROJECTED JPO WASTAGE RATE THROUGH RETIREMENT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE STUDY GROUP CONCLUDED THAT IMMEDIATE ACTION WAS NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE INTAKE AND TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF RESIGNATIONS AMONG SERVING JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS,' MR WIGGHAM SAID.
THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT THE STUDY GROUP PROPOSED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM ON THREE FRONTS:
* TO INCREASE THE DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE OFFICERS FOR OPERATIONAL DUTIES THROUGH FURTHER CIVILIANISATION OF DISCIPLINED POLICE POSTS AND WITHDRAWAL OF TRAINED POLICE OFFICERS FROM CIVILIAN POSTS;
* TO INCREASE INTAKE BY STREAMLINING THE RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES
AND RECRUITING MORE WOMEN POLICE CONSTABLES; AND
/* TO REDUCE