Reports that the Force will ask health-impaired officers (HIOs) to retire are groundless, Staff Relations and Conditions of Service Branch Chief Superintendent Leung Lau-on said March 12.

He was reacting to a Chinese-language newspaper story quoting a source as saying Police were studying a plan under which more than 1,000 HIOs, on civilian duty due to health impairments, would be asked to accept early retirement. The report also quoted a top officer as rejecting the claim.

"The report is absolutely unfounded," Mr Leung said. "It has been, and continues to be, Force policy to endeavour to facilitate the early recovery of HIOs and their re-integration into the Force. It is regrettable the paper has chosen to publish the report despite our denial."

Mr Leung said the retirement of an officer with health problems was governed by Civil Service Regulations, the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and the Employees' Compensation Ordinance. He assured that HIOs would continue to serve under existing arrangements.

Commissioner Tsang Yam-pui said in a PEN message released the same day, that he regretted the inaccurate report and reiterated there had been no change to existing Force policy on HIOs and there was no plan to introduce any changes.

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