CO129-612-1 Police Department- petition from European memebers of Inspectorate 21-1-1947 - 17-2-1948 — Page 74

POLICE

RESIGNATIONS

The resignation of eleven more European members of the Police Force is disquieting, and a portent. Significantly, all of the officers who have thrown in their hands are single men, a salient point be- cause leads to the not unattest- ed conclusion that the only factor preserving the European section of the Force from further dis- integration is economic. Married men are under the necessity of considering the interests and well- being of their wives and families, and while sharing the sense of futility and grievance of many of their colleagues, are unable to surrender their job and the time they have served towards pension with the same indifference as to the consequences. In addition to their discontents, they harbour a feeling of frustration, in the in- ability, for the moment, to do anything about it, which does nothing to lessen dissatisfaction. This, indeed, runs as an under- current through the Force from the higher ranks to the lowest, with such strength that it is im- possible to escape the conviction hat a serious loss of efficiency is inevitable, where it is not already self-evident. Hong Kong has prio ed itself, since the Liberation, on setting an example in the Far East in the effective re-establish- ment of law and order. It will generally be agreed that the Police Force has, all in all, done a praiseworthy job. Its achieve- ment has been made possible largely by the selfless devotion to duty of the more responsible of ficers of all ranks, working under almost intolerable conditions in many cases, in the confidence that some of their expectations would be satisfied, some promises would be fulfilled, that their efforts would receive some tangible re- cognition. The Commissioner of Police spoke with some pride, at a recent press conference, of the morale of the Force, a pride based on the spirit with which his men were prepared to shoot it out with armed ruffians. The tribute was well-deserved, but neither praise, nor the distribution of medals, will maintain the esprit de corps which threatens to disappear entirely from the Police unless, soon, there is a thorough re- examination of both the system of organisation and of the conditions of service. Fundamentally, the causes of the existing malcontent- are all too obvious: the force is overworked, under-staffed and under-paid. The first simple fact resides in the belief that it

ment

is

impossible to run a police

system for a population of

too

2,000,000 with a European con- but primarily the trouble is that tingent of 170 men. The second too many European officers are is that if the men concerned are harassed by overwork and inadequately rewarded for their many harassed in their domestic services, are poorly paid and often finances. No doubt, Government disgracefully quartered, they will can by insisting upon observance finally fall short of making even of contract terms prevent any the effort. In the absence of wave of resignations that would material considerations to sustain cause serious embarrassment. But enthusiasms and endurance, that would be the weakest, the nothing more quickly destroyed. poorest of answers.

I here is In Hon Kong today, that un- to be a steadying of morale, the happy situation is rapidly being situation requires a practical effort reached. Other factors are in-to remove the

sources of dis- volved besides those enumerated, content.

CHINA MA IL: HONG KONG:

23rd. JULY. 1947.