On the rise: DCP MAN Tsang Yam-pui points out promising promotion estimates for 2001

More than 300 promotion opportunities are expected next year for ranks of Sergeant and above, as the three-year Enhanced Productivity Programme (EPP) has been worked out and the economic climate has improved.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management) Tsang Yam-pui said as the recent financial downturn dissuaded many from leaving the Force, such as through early retirement, promotion opportunities were reduced. Premature wastage, previously recorded at three per cent, dropped to one per cent in recent years.

With subsiding economic doldrums and the development of other opportunities, next year some 170 vacancies for SGTs were expected along with 60 for Station Sergeants, 32 for Chief Inspectors, 24 for Superintendents, 14 for Senior Superintendents, nine for Chief Superintendents, six for Assistant Commissioners of Police and three for Senior Assistant Commissioners of Police.

Promotion prospects up

Mr Tsang said the figures were estimates and could go up or down. However, he expected similar figures to follow up in 2002.

The vacancies come despite the need to reduce posts to meet the GovernmentÕs EPP and ÔContaining the Size of the Civil ServiceÕ initiatives. Mr Tsang briefed staff associations on May 26, on the ForceÕs proposals on meeting the requirements of these initiatives (See staff association reaction sidebar).

"EPP has been conducted throughout the Force with recommendations made by individual unit commanders for approval. In considering this, three important principals stipulated by the CP were adhered to, like ensuring no impairment to efficiency and service, avoiding redundancies and minimising the impact on promotions," he said.

"Therefore, our three-year EPP proposal submitted to Government mainly contained proposals to delete non-operational posts."

Mr Tsang said the contracting-out of several areas such as catering, cleaning, vehicle towing and other management posts, had left frontlines unaffected.

"The three-year plan has been fully approved by the Commissioner of Police. The plan for the first year has already been announced and year two details will be announced soon along with some information on year three. We want to thank the Force for their excellent contribution to this exercise and for the care they have taken in observing the three major principals," he said.

In the EPP submissions, Major Formation Commanders proposed to delete 800 disciplined posts over the three-year period, and in addition, management identified more than 200 Police Training School training reserve posts which could not be filled due to reduced recruitment - bringing a total of 1,027 posts for deletion.

"However, as far as promotions go, last year they were depressed largely because of a much lower premature wastage rate. Far less people were leaving the Force, stemming mainly from the economic situation and not from EPP which did not even start until April this year. Promotion figures continued to be low this year," Mr Tsang said.

"However, next year we estimate a larger number of retirements and with careful planning of EPP, I am pleased to say promotions will be largely back to normal."

THE FRONTLINES - "No impairment to Force efficiency . . . "

Mr Tsang said concerns about frontline deployment expressed by the public and the media were unfounded, as for the past two-and-a-half years frontlines have been well supplemented by the establishment of over 1,000 leave and training reserve posts, in addition to District establishments.

"These posts are created to relieve officers on leave or in training to keep the frontline fully manned at any one time. When I looked at the figures on June 12, every land District had 50 to 130 additional Constable posts and these were in addition to the establishment," he said.

"In frontline deployment, this situation is unprecedented. Never in Force history have we had this surplus manpower to relieve the frontlines," he said.

DETECTION - "Blame unfounded and unfair . . . "

Concerns were also raised over detection rates which have come down from 46 per cent to 42 per cent last year. Mr Tsang said that both the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Crime and Security had explained to Legislators on different occasions that the decrease was due to crime pattern changes and that figures remained among the best in the world.

Some crimes traditionally involving a high detection rate, such as narcotics offences and shop theft, have decreased, whereas offences generally seeing a low detection rate have increased such as burglary and quick-cash crimes. "There is no evidence to support the assumption that the efficiency of our CID officers has been lowered. Crime Headquarters has made a detailed analysis of the situation and found crime detection by Crime officers has not decreased," Mr Tsang said.

"It shows the percentage of cases detected by them has actually increased from 21 per cent to more than 24 per cent in the past two years, so it is most unfair to put the blame on crime officers."

EPP - "We are aware of staff concerns . . . "

Senior Management was aware of staff concerns over recent changes, and over government initiatives to revise the Acting Allowance and Home-to-Office Allowance payment arrangements, and Disciplined Services Overtime Allowance (DSOA). But he stressed these were government-wide initiatives.

"We appreciate some officers find it difficult to cope with the changes, therefore we are listening to what staff have to say and are explaining the rationale of these initiatives. We also wish to stress that in respect of the DSOA there is sufficient funds to pay any necessary claims," Mr Tsang said.

"It has been a difficult period for both staff and management in facing these changes. The Force has always been very good in dealing with crisis and has risen to the challenge of many difficulties. Likewise, I fully appreciate the forbearance of staff in meeting these initiatives. At the same time, management has been working very hard at trying to minimise the impact on staff promotions and welfare."

"The 48-hour Work Scheme is another very important issue and dear to the heart of the whole Force, which is when the 48 working hours can be regularised as conditioned hours. Both the CP and I have pursued the issue vigorously at the highest level in government, as well as the Standing Commission on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service. On this issue, Force management is very keen to seek early resolution of the matter."

Rounding up, Mr Tsang said he believed the worst was now over, and thanked Force staff for their co-operation and continued good work.

"Also, the Personnel Information Communal System has been a tremendous help in accurately producing the data we require in overseeing the issues involved and working out the impact on promotions and recruitment. For this I am most grateful to the Manpower Planning Section who have worked very hard in these exercises. I believe we are now coming out of this difficult period and Force management is confident we can sail through with no major problems."

Staff associations react . . .

Junior Police Officers' Association chairman Lau Kam-wah said to better utilise resources, it was necessary for the Force to re-assess whether the functions of certain posts were cost-effective.

"For example, jobs like vehicle-towing and catering can be contracted out to cut operational costs and some training posts can also be re-deployed internally. The effects of the cut in these areas will be mild," he said. "However, there should be no cut in frontline posts that would lower the standard of service to the public."

Local Inspectors' Association chairman Liu Kit-ming said the body's main concern was that post cuts might put a heavier workload on officers which would subsequently lower the quality of service delivered to the public. "However, the briefing by DCP MAN has provided us with a clear picture and helped allay some of our worries. Management has explained that most of the work of the affected posts would be carried out through out-sourcing and not shared among other officers."

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