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| THE management and operational
deployment of the Hong
Kong Auxiliary Police is set for enhancement through the revision of its roles and functions.
A valuable asset to the Regular Force for more than 40 years, the Auxiliaries will be streamlined through the implementation of 33 recommendations forwarded by the Force Committee on the Auxiliary Police last month, and endorsed by Comissioner of Police Eddie Hui Ki-on. |
 A new batch of Auxiliary recruits march proudly during a recent passing out parade |
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While paying tribute to the Auxiliary Force for their dedicated services in the past years, Mr Hui said he was confident that they would continue to serve the community and come to the assistance of Regular officers in a most efficient and exemplary manner after the reform. The recommendations will see the Auxiliary Force refined to a structure allowing for its full integration with Regular Force counterparts. Many of the recommendations were suitable for immediate implementation and have been put in place since April 1. Others would be phased-in over the next several years. The implementation schedule included the promulgation of the revised organisational structure and the postings and transfers of all Auxiliary Chief Inspectors and above on April 1, along with the completion of job descriptions for the revised roles of CIP AUX Auxiliary Senior Inspectors and above. Postings and transfers for Auxiliary Senior Inspectors and below will be promulgated by the end of April. Integration will involve a Force-wide six-month trial, scheduled to start on May 1. District and divisional commanders will be required to allocate personnel to Patrol Sub-Units once transfers of SIPs AUX and below are effected. Feedback is to be submitted by the end of November this year and the revised system, if appropriate, will start on January 1 next year. A new programme for the seven-day Annual Continuous Training will also be drawn up and will start at the end of May. One of the incoming changes will be to their role in an internal security situation where Auxiliary officers will be deployed on key points protection, station defence and consular premises protection instead of performing escort and station duties. Enhanced Computer-assisted Command and Control System - trained Auxiliaries will continue to assist with the manning of command and control centres. The committee, made up of officers from both the Auxiliary and the Regular forces, noted that as the Regular Force was now up to full establishment, and the law and order situation was well contained , there was no need for the deployment of Auxiliary officers in a 'watch and ward' mode. The committee recommended that the Auxiliaries should be better utilised as a trained manpower reserve which could be deployed to augment the Regular Force in crowd management operations during major public events and festivals. Committee chairman Chief Superintendent Support Lionel Lam Kin stressed that although the number of Auxiliary officers would be reduced from 5,721 to 4,500, the reduction would be put into effect gradually. It would be through natural wastage over the next three to five years. Recruitment would continue on a yearly basis. "Recruitment of Auxiliary Police officers will be maintained at the rate of 150 per year to ensure that properly motivated and civic-minded people will continue to be recruited," Mr Lam said. It would also be necessary to modify the organisation structure to tie-in with the role and establishment changes. "The ultimate aim is to streamline to a structure that enables full integration of the Auxiliaries with the Regulars, encompassing all ranks at Divisional, District and Regional levels," he said. "This will give Auxiliary Police officers a greater sense of belonging and better acceptance by their Regular colleagues. "In reaching our recommendations we have taken into consideration the practical needs of the Auxiliary personnel and the impact the changes may have on their morale."Ó Mr Lam added: "There are bound to be teething problems during the transitional period, but we are confident they can be overcome with the support and co-operation of both the Auxiliary and Regular officers at different levels." Committee member and Deputy Commandant of the Auxiliary Force Arthur Kwok Chi-shun said although there was some confusion over the changes he hoped they would be ironed-out within two months. Mr Kwok added that the importance of the Auxiliaries would not be diminished despite the slight reduction in demand by the Regulars for their day to day supporting role. He said the requirement for Auxiliary support for crowd management remained high and could even increase in the coming year. "There is some confusion and misunderstanding due to the short implementation period of the new system - we need to explain better and give more time to our Auxiliary and Regular officers in the field to understand the adjustments. "We will need about two months before the two forces can fully appreciate the new Auxiliary organisation and integration initiatives. "The committee must market the recommendations effectively during this period to ensure efficient implementation of the adjustments and to maintain the morale and close co-operation of the two forces," Mr Kwok said. "The overall establishment reduction is understandable since the manpower requirement of the Auxiliaries is based on the internal security situation. "Our role in internal security has been revised - we are not required to perform front line riot control and escort duties, thus resulting in the downward adjustment of our establishment." Mr Kwok said as the Regulars were up to establishment, the daily need for Auxiliaries had been reduced. "However, the importance of the Auxiliary Force to support the Regulars in the maintenance of law and order will remain," Mr Kwok said. | |
