XN000022-1986-03-16 — Page 9

SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 1986

''HIGH ON OUR EXPANSION LIST IS THE ADDITION OF 12 INSTRUCTORS, ONE EXAMINER AND A NEW POST OF SUPERVISOR TO TAKE CARE OF TRAINING MATTERS," SAID THE PDS CHIEF.

HE SAID THE NEW POSTS WOULD BE FILLED BY FORCE MEMBERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED AN ADVANCED COURSE IN PDS.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR A POLICE OFFICER WISHING TO BE TRAINED AS DRIVER ARE THAT HE MUST HAVE AT LEAST TWO YEARS' SERVICE WITH THE FORCE SHOULD BE AGED UNDER 351 BE MEDICALLY FIT WITH GOOD EYESIGHT AND HAS A GOOD DISCIPLINARY RECORD.

TRAINEES FIRST ATTEND THE BASIC DRIVING COURSE, WHICH RUNS FOR FOUR WEEKS FOR HOLDERS OF CIVILIAN LICENCES, AND EIGHT FOR THOSE WITH NO DRIVING EXPERIENCE, WOMAN OFFICERS TAKE 12 WEEKS' TRAINING.

AFTER PASSING THE BASIC TRAINING COURSE, TRAINEES ARE RECALLED TO THE PDS AROUND 18 MONTHS' LATER FOR A FOUR-WEEK CONTINUATION COURSE WHICH INVOLVES TRAINING IN MEDIUM AND HEAVY GOODS VEHICLES.

THEY THEN RETURN TO THE PDS AFTER A FURTHER 18 MONTHS TO ATTEND A FOUR-WEEK REFRESHER COURSE, DURING WHICH THE BEST DRIVERS ARE SELECTED FOR A SIX-WEEK ADVANCED COURSE.

UPON COMPLETING THE COURSES, REGULAR FORCE DRIVERS GO TO FORMATIONS UNDER DIVISIONAL OR DISTRICT COMMANDERS WHILE ADVANCED DRIVERS GO TO EMERGENCY UNITS OR 999 DUTIES, POSSIBLY INVOLVING HIGH-SPEED DRIVING IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE VEHICLES.

MOTORCYCLISTS TAKE A STANDARD FOUR-WEEK COURSE AND ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A TWO-WEEK REMEDIAL COURSE IF THEY FAIL THE DRIVING TEST.

UNDER PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS, ADVANCED FORCE DRIVERS ARE RE-TESTED ANNUALLY AND REGULAR AND NON-REGULAR DRIVERS HAVE TO ATTEND, AND PASS, A REFRESHER COURSE EVERY FIVE YEARS.

JETTY TO BE BUILT NEAR TUEN MUN ****

THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BUILD A JETTY AT YUNG LONG IN TUEN MUN FOR BARGES TO LOAD FILL MATERIAL FROM A NEARBY BORROW AREA.

THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE DREDGING AND RECLAMATION OF ABOUT 1.45 HECTARES OF FORESHORE AND SEABED. AN ACCESS ROAD WILL ALSO BE BUILT FROM THE JETTY TO THE BORROW AREA ALONG THE PATH OF AN EXISTING TRACK.

/THE SCHEME