ENG-1976 — Page 173

PUBLIC ORDER

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a sub-unit of the Hong Kong Island Emergency Unit which was established mid- year with the task of preventing crime in recreational areas.

The force establishment at the end of the year totalled 17,124 all ranks, an increase of 1,099 on the 1975 figure. Strength increased by 1,103 to a total of 16,234 at the end of the year-5.2 per cent short of the authorised establishment. The women police element of the force is set at a figure of 10 per cent of the overall establishment. During the year 29 women inspectors and 243 women constables were taken on strength, lifting the total complement of women officers to 1,540. The number of civilian staff employed by the force rose by 209 to 3,067.

The extensive recruitment campaign aimed at bringing the force to fully approved establishment resulted in 8,124 applications for constable appointments and 1,879 for local inspectorate appointments. During the year 211 inspectors, including 109 from overseas, were taken on strength-compared with 153 in 1975, 168 in 1974 and 111 in 1973. The number of constables taken on strength totalled 1,738, compared with 1,454 in 1975, 2,222 in 1974 and 1,320 in 1973. The educational standards of recruit constables continued to improve and of those appointed 1,213 had secondary education qualifications and a further 222 possessed the qualifications required for recruit inspectors.

Training

The Police Cadet School at Fan Gardens, Fanling, marked its third anniversary with the passing out of the second intake of cadets to complete two years' training. Of the 146 cadets who passed out, 115 went on to join the police force as constables. The remainder opted to join either the Preventive Service, the Fire Services Depart- ment or the Prisons Department.

As in previous years, a call for enrolments for the 1976 academic year met with considerable response. More than 2,700 applications were received for the 150 places available and the school continued to operate at its maximum capacity of 300 cadets.

The school's Fanling accommodation is only temporary pending the building at Shuen Wan, near Plover Cove, of a permanent school to hold 1,200 cadets. As an intermediate measure, a second temporary school site at Dodwell's Ridge, near Fanling, is to be opened in 1977. This site, together with the Fan Gardens establish- ment, will raise the school's capacity to 600 cadets and the annual output to 300.

The school provides a balanced syllabus of academic, physical and vocational training without charge for boys aged between 15 and 17 years. Books and stationery, accommodation, food, uniform and medical treatment are also provided free. A monthly allowance to cover out-of-pocket expenses is paid to cadets.

At the Police Training School at Aberdeen, a revised basic training syllabus which places greater emphasis on leadership and on-the-job training is proving popular with both recruit constables and recruit inspectors. The course covers 26 weeks for recruit constables and 28 weeks for recruit inspectors, plus eight weeks' Cantonese tuition for expatriate officers. In 1976 the school produced 1,303 constables and 131 inspectors. At December 31 there were 918 recruit constables and 138 recruit in- spectors still undergoing training.