CO129-611-7 Police Department- gazetted officers 16-2-1948 - 22-7-1950 — Page 26

Secretariat file No.8/1536/46

10. 79.

STAFF

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG.

Ju Jutober, 1948.

18

26

Sir,

(9) a'46

(5) on 146

(5) on '460

I have the honour to refer to your telegram No.532 of 2nd August, 1946, in which you approved an increase in the establishment of gazetted officers in the Hong Kong Police Force from 18 to 27, and to request your approval of the addition of a further 14 posts.

2. The establishment of gazetted officers must be considered in the light of the policy of the gradual reduction of the European non-gazetted establishment of the Police Force and the substitution therefor of local inspectors. The reduction scheme in Hong Kong was intended to follow the lines of the Singapore scheme as developed before the war under which one gazetted officer and three local inspectors were substituted for every four European inspectors. The pre- war establishment of the Hong Kong Police Force consisted of 18 gazetted officers and 277 European non-gazetted officers. A considerable reduction of the latter establishment has already been effected by deaths, retirements, resignations, promotions or transfers, and it is proposed to maintain the establishment at the reduced figure of 210 for the next two years. Under the Singapore scheme a reduction of 67 European non-gazetted posts would entail an increase of 17 gazetted posts, which would bring the establishment of gazetted posts to 35 inclusive of the Commissioner. To this must be added provision for a leave and training reserve not hitherto provided. Rather than apply such a rule of thumb method I have preferred to examine more closely the gazetted establishment itself and I attach as Enclosure I a table showing the number and distribution of gazetted posts which are considered essential to provide the maximum efficiency consistent with economical utilisation of resources. It will be noted that although no increase is proposed in the number of minimum essential posts approved in your telegram under reference, the arrangement and distribution of the posts differs from that submitted as an enclosure to Sir Mark Young's confidential despatch of 14th June, 1946.

The

3. In your telegram under reference approving of the present establishment as suitable for immediate post war conditions, you indicated that your approval was subject to reconsideration as vacancies occured in the higher ranks, but, as you are aware, the size of the population, the political situation and the aftermath of war have created problems of a complexity and delicacy unknow before the war, and there appears to be little prospect of any advantageous change in this situation. Hong Kong now bears the burden of all the former Treaty Ports and its importance has increased in the political field. foundation of the prosperity of the Colony is the law and order which it provides, and the maintenance of law and order depends in very large measure upon an efficient Police Force over which responsible gazetted officers exercise a degree of supervision far beyond the superficial control considered adequate before the Moreover, if the European Inspectorate is to be replaced by local officers in conformity with general Colonial Policy, it is essential that the ultimate supervision and training of the new local inspectorate should be in the hands of trained and intelligent gazetted officers rather than of European inspectors.

war.

4′′ In Sir Mark Young's despatch of 14th June, 1945, it was presupposed that members of the European Inspectorate would act in gazetted posts while the substantive holders of those posts were on leave. This has not proved in practice to be a satisfactory solution, since once an inspector is appointed to act in a gazetted post the idea is implanted that he is earmarked for promotion, and all too often a series of difficult personnel problems follow. Moreover, if he has made a real effort to carry out his duties efficiently, his position vis-a-vis his fellow inspectors is not easy when he reverts to his substantive rank. He himself, if not promoted substantively, suffers a loss of self esteem,

Few men have the courage to face up to the responsibilities of the acting post and it has been found preferable to resort to the not very satisfactory expedient of appointing a single officer to be in charge of two districts rather than to appoint an inspector to act as officer in charge of one.