Having passed the whole challenging selection process conducted by the Recruitment Division in the last few months, all of them are now a step closer to achieving their goal. They are ten Probationary Inspectors (PIs) and 120 Recruit Police Constables (RPCs) who started the first day of their 36 or 27 weeks' basic training to become fully-fledged police officers.

With the recruitment freeze exemption granted by the Government for the financial years of 2004/05 and 2005/06, the Force will be recruiting a total of 950 officers, including 50 Police Inspectors, before March 31, 2006.

The 120 RPCs make up the first intake for the basic training in PTS after the exemption for 2004/05. Among them, over 40 per cent are university graduates and the remainder has education ranging from Form Five to Diploma level. One RPC had served as a Constable in the Auxiliary Force under the Auxiliary (Undergraduate) Recruitment Scheme before joining the regular Force. All the 10 Probationary Inspectors are university graduates with Bachelor Degree, with one being appointed under the Potential Officer Scheme. The passing-out dates of the RPCs and PIs have been scheduled for August 6 and October 8 respectively.

The number of applications for PI posts reached a record high in January 2005 on a single month basis, with a total of 1,598 applications received. At the same time, a total of 1,175 applications for RPC posts were received, which is the highest since academic requirements were raised in 2001.

The next intake of new recruits has been scheduled for early April this year when another batch of 120 RPCs and about 12 PIs will be appointed. Thereafter, five more intakes will be arranged until March 2006.

On the road to become fully-fledged police officers