Retired officers can rejoin Hong Kong police on a part-time basis to carry out street patrols and certain other jobs under a new initiative to tackle frontline staff shortages, the force’s chief has said.
Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee revealed the new scheme on Tuesday as the chairman of the junior officers’ association said “severe” manpower shortages had affected peer learning for novices.
Siu told the association’s National Day reception that constables who had left the force for no longer than three years could return on a part-time basis.
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“Besides hoping to relieve pressure on frontline manpower, this will also provide an opportunity for experienced staff to mentor young staff, passing on their precious work experience to the next generation to pass on a legacy,” Siu said in a speech.
The part-time post-retirement service contract scheme was introduced on September 12, according to a document seen by the Post.
Constables who have retired from the force for no more than three years or who are starting pre-retirement leave before next March can apply.
Applicants cannot have applied for a service extension to the age of 60 or completed extended.
The part-time officers will conduct street patrols, or work in the reporting centre or as drivers for one to three days in a fortnightly cycle.
Pay can reach HK$235 per hour with Mandatory Provident Fund contributions for a one-year contract. Officers’ pensions may be suspended when employed part-time.
Police have faced recruitment challenges in recent years, with the force previously attributing slumping application numbers to a shrinking young population and lukewarm interest in government jobs.
In 2021, the force rolled out a service extension scheme for non-directorate officers who joined before June 2000 to have the choice to work until the age of 60. Currently, officers must retire at age 55.
Junior Police Officers’ Association chairman Lam Chi-wai said during the reception that the force’s hiring and manpower difficulties had affected the work of those on the front line.
“When I graduated from the police college, for patrol work, when manpower was sufficient a frontline commander could arrange for a senior officer to guide a junior colleague during their duties, sharing practical advice and ensuring credibility and safety at work,” Lam said.
“However, under the severe manpower shortage at the front line currently, these examples are difficult to achieve. The loss of many experienced colleagues in recent years has also changed the issue.”
But Lam urged the government to evaluate the force’s competitiveness in the employment market.
The force has more than 6,000 vacancies. As of June 30 this year, police had 27,039 officers and 3,961 civilian staff.
The starting monthly salary for a constable is about HK$28,000 (US$3,580). Inspectors earn about HK$50,000.
The force has also been relaxing recruitment requirements to increase applications in recent years, such as introducing their own Chinese and English language tests to candidates who have failed these subjects in public exams, removing height and weight requirements and allowing permanent residents who had lived in the city for less than seven years to apply.
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