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Following is a question by the Hon Regina Ip and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Lai Tung-kwok, in the Legislative Council today (June 15):
Question:
Some members of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force (auxiliary police officers) have relayed to me that they are required to receive Statutory Efficiency Training each year, and those who have completed such training will be eligible for a bounty award. However, these auxiliary police officers consider that as the amount of the bounty award, which has remained unchanged for more than 20 years, is too small, coupled with the incessant increase of volume and hazard of work in recent years, the current amount of bounty award is not conducive to encouraging their active participation in the work of auxiliary police force. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the existing size of the staff establishment of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force, and its percentage in the size of the overall staff establishment of the Police Force (i.e. auxiliary and regular police officers);
(2) of the minimum and maximum working hours, pay rates and overtime allowances (if any) of auxiliary police officers at present, set out on a monthly average basis;
(3) of the initial purpose and background of providing the aforesaid bounty award; the current amount and the eligibility criteria of the bounty award; and
(4) as some auxiliary police officers have indicated that their work has become increasingly complicated and dangerous in recent years, whether the authorities will consider adjusting, on a regular basis, the pay rates of auxiliary police officers and the amount of the aforesaid bounty award so as to reasonably reflect the contribution of auxiliary police officers; if they will, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
My consolidated reply to the Hon Regina Ip's question is as follows:
As at April 30, 2016, the establishment of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force (HKAPF) stood at 4 500, representing 13 per cent of the Police's overall establishment (i.e. including both the regular and auxiliary forces). There is no ceiling on the number of monthly working hours for auxiliary police officers, and their salaries are calculated on the basis of their respective ranks and the number of working hours in the month. There is no overtime allowance.
Under Section 15 of the Auxiliary Forces Pay and Allowances Ordinance (Cap 254), an auxiliary member with satisfactory service shall be eligible to be paid, in addition to his appropriate pay, a bounty. As far as the auxiliary police are concerned, any officer who, in each year of service, complies with the requirements as to efficiency under the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force Regulations (Cap 233A) (the present requirement being the completion of 208 hours of related training in each year) shall be paid an annual bounty, the prevailing level of which is $900. The Government shall review the amount of such bounty in a timely manner.
Ends/Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Issued at HKT 13:08
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