ENG-1975 — Page 156

PUBLIC ORDER

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The unit also provides a trained tactical reserve capable of being deployed to any incident at short notice.

Training comprises a 27-week course, following which each company has a period of 12 weeks' reserve. Each year nine companies undergo training at the PTU, and periodically platoons of women police are formed for a one week attachment, during which they are given advanced training in crowd control.

Also based at Fanling is the Police Personnel Carrier Unit, which is equipped with 14 Saracen armoured personnel carriers.

Police Training School

The Police Training School at Aberdeen operated at maximum capacity through- out the year, conducting not only basic training courses but in-service advanced training, language tuition, and Duke of Edinburgh award instructional courses.

All police inspectors and constables on first appointment undergo basic training courses of 27 and 26 weeks respectively. Instruction includes criminal law, police procedures, court procedures, physical training, first-aid, weapon training and drill. Overseas recruit inspectors also attend a two-month Cantonese course at the school's language laboratory.

Greater emphasis is being placed on functional leadership, practical work, self-reliance field camps and attachments to operational units of the force. Since 1974 the force has gradually reduced academic instruction with a view to producing a more reliant, confident and practical police officer.

In-service advanced courses provide in-depth legal studies combined with manage- ment practice and the latest advances in police techniques. The system aims to ensure that officers are professionally competent and are trained to advance to higher rank if selected for promotion.

Police Cadet School

At the Police Cadet School at Fanling, cadets undergo a balanced syllabus of academic, physical and vocational training over a two year period. The school offers free education, including books and stationery, free accommodation and food, free uniform, free medical care and other fringe benefits. Cadets each receive $60 a month as pocket money. Recruiting is within the 15-17 age bracket and there are also height, weight, education and residential qualifications for applicants.

Since its inception in 1973, the school has been fully subscribed. There were 150 graduates in 1975, and 133 of them elected to join the force as constables. It is planned that the strength of the school will be 1,200 when it moves to proposed permanent accommodation near Plover Cove. The school will then be graduating 600 cadets a year-about half of the annual recruitment needs of the force. As an intermediate measure, expansion during the summer of 1976 is being considered.

Recruitment

During the year 153 inspectors, including 90 from overseas, were taken on strength compared with 168 in 1974, 111 in 1973 and 71 in 1972. Constable strength