JPC eyes Singapore experience

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To mark its 30th anniversary, Junior Police Call (JPC) will host a ceremony to be officiated by Commissioner Dick Lee Ming-kwai and other distinguished guests at the Police Recreation and Sports Club on April 24, to be followed by a series of celebration activities throughout the year.

But the Force will not rest on its laurels. JPC is conducting a comprehensive review of its operation and is borrowing overseas experience to make it a more fulfilling programme and to enlist wider community support.

Since 1974, JPC has received considerable societal support and is currently one of the largest youth organisations in Hong Kong with some 140,000 members. To ensure that the scheme would grow with the times, the JPC Review Working Group comprising officers from Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) and Police Community Relations Offices was formed in March 2003 to re-evaluate the scheme.

With a view to facilitating a practical and realistic review, it is necessary to take a more in-depth look at similar overseas organisations that have Police involvement. Carrying this fact-finding mission, PPRB Chief Inspector (JPC & Youth Liaison) Ricky Liu Shing-bun flew to Singapore for a three-day visit in early March to exchange views with his counterparts in the National Police Cadets Corps (NPCC).

NPCC was formed in 1959 with the aim of developing its cadets into caring and responsible citizens. Being the largest school uniform group with 20,000 cadets in Singapore, NPCC is accountable to both the Ministries of Education and Home Affairs. A Commandant, five regular police officers as well as five full-time teachers staff its headquarters, located in the Police Academy.

Talking to OffBeat after this fruitful trip, Mr Liu said he was glad to have represented the Force to exchange views with NPCC, which is a long-standing and successful youth organisation associated to the Force in the Lion City.

He said: "We should look beyond Hong Kong to reach young people around the world. We should join hands together, exchange ideas and values and promote a future where all youths can subscribe to the message that they should always help fight crime.

"A duty visit of this kind is mutually beneficial to further strengthening the ties of the two organisations. It's also an invaluable opportunity to promote JPC outside Hong Kong."

During the trip, he saw for himself the operation and organisation of NPCC and its partnership relationship with school units. Warmly received by Miss Zachia Low Yee-tien, the Head of Planning and Projects of NPCC HQs, Mr Liu also visited the 25-hectare NPCC Campsite and a "NPCC Gold Unit" high school.

The operation of NPCC is mainly school-based. The Corps's targets are to recruit Secondary One to Secondary Four students aged between 13 and 16. In contrast, JPC aims to recruit youngsters aged from nine to 25.

Mr Liu said he was most impressed with the teachers' enthusiastic support to NPCC. "NPCC is a statutory body under the National Police Cadet Corps Act. With the support of the Ministry of Education, teachers are eager to take part in extra-curricular activities organised by the Corps. Some still continue to serve in the Corps and take part in such activities after retirement.

"In return, teachers receive support and training from NPCC headquarters. They are entitled to uniforms. Teachers and cadets can also receive .22 revolver basic shooting training at the Police Academy. Furthermore, there is a rank system for Senior Officers (i.e. teachers) which is similar to the Singapore Police Force, ranging from Cadet Inspector to Deputy Superintendent."

He added that his counterparts were also interested in the JPC scheme, especially the system of honorary presidents to align community effort to promote the scheme.

During the trip, Mr Liu also took the chance to learn more about the system of awarding proficiency badges of the NPCC, a similar idea being considered by JPC.

"At present, JPC members will be invited to become leaders when they reach 17 years old. In NPCC, there is a clear rank structure for cadets. A cadet can rise to the rank of Station Inspector but promotion isn't automatic. Cadets must attain minimum standards and pass the test set out for the different ranks.

"Their system of proficiency badges corresponds with our idea of introducing a similar rank and proficiency badge system in JPC. Under such a system, JPC members can advance themselves and further develop their leadership potential by playing a more active role in planning and organising activities.

"At present, JPC leaders will have to leave the scheme when they reach the age of 25. This is indeed a waste of human resources. Can there be an institutional setting to retain these talents? Can we give more public recognition to teachers who are dedicated to promoting JPC and grooming youngsters into future leaders? These are the directions that we can explore," Mr Liu added.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Singapore Police, Mr Tan Puay Kern, and Assistant Director (Unformed Groups) of Ministry of Education, Ms Helen Tan, pictured with CIP Liu (centre)