[Vision and Statement of Common Purpose and Values] [Foreword] [Operations]
[Regional Commanders' Report] [Personnel and Training]
[Management Services] [Finance, Administration and Planning]
[Environmental Report] [Organisation] [ Annexes, Crime Charts and Appendices ]

We will maintain our role of establishing good human resource practices, and of providing links between Force Management and employees to foster good staff relations and an effective consultative system within the Force. We will also continue to offer welfare and support services to improve the quality of life for Police officers and their families.

In terms of training, prizes were won at home and abroad in both green management and in e-learning. The professionalism and dedication of our instructional personnel were also rewarded. For the first time, a training formation in the Force received ISO 9001 certification. To upgrade the status of Force training and to secure a recognised academic award for foundation training, we fostered close partnerships with local universities.

Human Resources
Human Resources Branch handles all aspects of recruitment policies and arrangements, performance management, career development, postings, increments, advancements, research and promotion matters.

A Police Mentorship Programme was launched in March. It aims to facilitate the social and personal development of local university undergraduates, strengthen their knowledge of Police work and inspire them to pursue a career with the Force upon graduation. A total of 100 undergraduates were selected and led by a group of mentors, who were serving officers graduated from local universities. The Programme was very well received by local universities, undergraduates and the mentors, and will be continued in 2005.

To further enhance the international vision of members of the Force, the Human Resources Branch also continuously explored new opportunities for management development of staff both locally and overseas. In 2004, officers were sent to Guangzhou for an exchange training attachment programme. Similar arrangements were made with the Singapore Police Force, Metropolitan Police Service in the United Kingdom and the Shanghai Public Security Bureau.

Following the re-structuring of Personnel Wing in early 2004, the newly created Conditions of Service and Discipline Branch continued to respond to the challenges resulting from fiscal constraints. These include the Administration's proposals for an improved pay adjustment mechanism; a review of general Civil Service Allowances; and a review of Job-related Allowances for the Disciplined Services. A strong culture of partnership continues to be maintained with the staff associations on these issues, ensuring that the views of staff as well as the concerns of Force Management are accurately reflected to the Administration.

The Branch also continued its review of the Force discipline system. This is aimed at making improvements within the existing framework and examining the possibility of changes via legislative reform.

Support and Staff Relations
During the year, professionally trained Force Welfare Officers handled 2,030 new cases, carried out 9,389 case interviews, conducted 3,923 home visits and hospital visits, together with a series of Family Life Education Programmes and thematic support groups for Police officers and their families.

The Psychological Services Group provided a total of 2,125 consultations to Force members. To develop a healthy mental life style for Police officers, a three-year "Balances and Wisdom" mental health promotion campaign was launched, emphasising the importance of achieving a positive balance amongst Force members.

The Hong Kong Police Volunteer Services Corps was established with a secretariat for promotion of volunteerism. A resource centre and a website were launched to facilitate officers and their families interested in volunteer service. Over 35 volunteer teams were formed with almost 3,000 volunteers participating in a wide variety of services in the community during the year.

Good staff relations and an effective consultative system are of paramount importance to the efficient and effective management of a Force comprising about 27,000 disciplined officers. The Staff Relations Group (SRG) provides logistical advice to support the Force's formal consultative arrangements with disciplined officers, namely the Police Force Council, as well as the Senior and the Junior Consultative Committees. In meeting the challenges of the year, SRG consolidated the partnership culture and sought continuous improvement with the aim of better matching service needs with the resources available.

In 2004, SRG organised a series of activities which were strategically designed to cater for the needs of Force members, in particular Junior Police Officers (JPO), and their families with emphasis on personal development, professional training and family education. Training programmes to enhance the professionalism of Training and Staff Relations Officers and Executive Committee Members of Staff Associations were also held.

2004 was also a year in which SRG tailor-made a series of seminars on financial prudence to which prominent figures from the financial field were invited as guest speakers. For the future, SRG will reinforce officers' commitment by further promoting our partnership culture with a view to successful implementation of new management initiatives.

Training Wing
In support of the Force Safety Management System launched in April, Training Wing piloted the training of a cadre of 2,900 risk assessors. They will be equipped with updated technical knowledge and skills to conduct preventive risk assessment and accident analysis that covers the full range of work duties.

Nine e-Learning interactive multimedia courses and more than 22 e-seminars were developed during the year. Fifteen Force trainers were accredited by the Asia-Pacific Institute of Business, the Chinese University of Hong Kong , as trainers in "Peer Coaching Through Empathetic Listening".

Training Wing also worked closely with universities on interpersonal communication skills and psychological competencies training. Foundation training for Recruit Police Constables was re-engineered to enhance constables' abilities and skills, and to develop a working partnership with tertiary institutes with a view to enhanced accreditation.

During the year, Training Wing was actively involved in preparing for the opening of the Hong Kong Police College in 2005. The College aspires to be one of the centres of excellence in police training throughout the world and its opening will mean closer cooperation with the universities in both instructor training and foundation training. Training Wing also devoted great efforts towards preparing for the 15th Interpol Symposium for Heads of Police Training. In March 2005, the Force and Interpol will co-host the Symposium, which for the first time will be held outside Lyon, France.

Awards
An e-Learning package, "Guidelines on Use of Firearms", which was produced by Training Wing, won the Gold award in the Custom Content category of the "2004 Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards" programme. The Force was the first Hong Kong organisation to win the Gold Award in one of the categories of the programme. In January 2004, the Police Training School was presented with the Gold Award in the "2003 Hong Kong Eco-Business Awards - Green Office Award" for their efforts in green management.

In February, JPO Development Learning Division was presented with the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System certificate. It was the first training formation to receive the quality certification.

The Police Band
During the year, the Police Band continued to play at official events such as the HKSAR Establishment Day and the National Day celebrations. The Band was also invited to perform at several events outside Hong Kong. These included the Shanghai Tourism Festival and the Opening Ceremony of the Guangzhou Office of Hong Kong Tourism Board.