Personnel and Training

Personnel Wing
Key Resources
The key resource of the Force is its people, its individual men and women, regardless of rank. From frontline beat constables to civilian backroom computer technicians, the Force comprises a team of highly trained and motivated people who work and respond as one.

The latest techniques in human resources management are employed to ensure cohesion in all aspects of staff relations, welfare, promotion, discipline and conditions of service. Our Human Resources Programme provides the framework to constantly improve procedures. We have set up a centralised unit to deal with serious or complicated disciplinary cases, and introduced more transparency in the promotion process to demonstrate fairness. The recently revised Junior Police Officer (JPO) promotion system has been well received by these officers. Meanwhile, we have developed a competency-based performance management system for the rank of Superintendent, which will be extended to the other ranks in turn.

Recruitment
During the year, we established a Police Recruitment Homepage on the internet that provides potential applicants with a broad range of information on a career in the Force. Those interested are encouraged to visit recruitment offices where they can discuss various aspects of police life. The challenges, structured promotion path and competitive remuneration package ensure that applications far outnumber available posts and that recruits are of a high calibre. Only 254 of the 7 773 Police Constable (PC) applicants and 20 of the 1 640 Inspector applicants were eventually recruited. Of the PCs recruited, 126 had tertiary level educational qualifications.

Consultation
Good staff relations and an effective consultative system are of paramount importance to the efficient and effective management of a Force that contains more than 28 000 disciplined officers. Four channels have been established to maintain an open dialogue :

1. The Staff Relations Group acts as a conduit for the receipt and dissemination of information between the management and staff, and vice versa. In addition to its established consultative mechanism, the Group also holds monthly informal meetings with the Staff Associations, called Staff Relations Clinics, to address topical issues of staff concern. Where appropriate, subject officers of relevant lead departments brief the meetings to help instil a better understanding and obtain feedback on these matters. The overall purpose is to further enhance internal communication in an informal and focused manner.



2. Consultative Councils deal with the issues of pay, welfare and conditions of service.



3. The Police Force Council (PFC), chaired by the Commissioner, is a forum for discussion between senior management, the Administration and representatives of the four police staff associations — the Superintendents' Association (SPA), the Overseas Inspectors' Association (OIA), the Local Inspectors' Association (LIA) and the Junior Police Officers' Association (JPOA).



4. Both the Senior Consultative Council (SCC) and the Junior Consultative Council (JCC) are chaired by the Director of Personnel & Training (DPT). The two Councils deal with issues falling within the direct authority of DPT, particularly those affecting welfare and conditions of service. The SPA, LIA and OIA sit on the SCC whereas the JPOA sits on the JCC to give their views on the issues discussed.
   
   The PFC, SCC and JCC each meet at least three times per year.