TNAG-1373-FCO40-1819-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 287

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 241000Z FCO

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OF 240845Z OCTOBER 85

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

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MR. RENTON'S VISIT: BRIEF ON LOCALISATION OF THE POLICE FORCE

BACKGROUND

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS PURSUED A POLICY OF DELIBERATELY RECRUITING AN ELEMENT OF EXPATRIATES IN THE INSPECTORATE

RANKS OF THE POLICE FORCE. IT HAS ABANDONED THIS POLICY BUT AT

PRESENT ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THE GAZETTED OFFICER RANKS ARE FILLED

BY EXPATRIATES.

ISSUE

2. IT IS CONSIDERED THAT BY 1997 THE GAZETTED OFFICER RANKS OF THE

POLICE FORCE SHOULD BE PREDOMINATELY FILLED BY LOCALS RATHER THAN BY EXPATRIATES, SAY IN THE PROPORTION OF 60:40. THE GOVERNOR HAS ASKED SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO DETERMINE HOW THIS END SHOULD BE ACHIEVED. THIS STEERING GROUP HAS CONCLUDED THAT IT WILL PROBABLY BE NECESSARY TO CREATE VACANCIES IN SENIOR RANKS IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THE PROMOTION OF LOCAL OFFICERS. TO CREATE THE VACANCIES, FIRST PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO NOT RENEWING THE CONTRACTS OF EXPATRIATE OFFICERS ON AGREEMENT. IF INSUFFICIENT VACANCIES ARE CREATED THEREBY THEN SOME EXPATRIATE OFFICERS ON PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE TERMS WILL HAVE TO BE COMPULSORILY RETIRED WITH

COMPENSATION.

3. AS FAR AS ADVANCEMENT OF LOCAL OFFICERS IS CONCERNED THE STEERING GROUP IS LIKELY TO RECOMMEND TWO CHANNELS. THE FIRST IS NORMAL PROMOTION ON MERIT AND THE SECOND ACCELERATED PROMOTION OF CERTAIN IDENTIFIED LOCAL OFFICERS TO VACANCIES SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE. ONLY AS A LAST RESORT SHOULD LOCAL OFFICERS BE PROMOTED ON MERIT OVER EXPATRIATE OFFICERS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE

PROMOTED.

HKK 02716

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 4 OCT 1985

CONFIDENTIAL

14. THE

DESK OFFICER INDEX

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