Sign on the thin blue line: 2,300 at police recruitment day as force rebuilds trust after Occupy controversy
2,300 hopefuls turn up on new recruitment day as force continues its campaign to restore the public's backing after pro-democracy protests
The police have launched an aggressive drive to get the public back on their side with their first autumn recruitment day, which saw close to 2,300 turn up hoping to join the thin blue line.
Yesterday's effort forms part of a three-pronged approach launched last month to win back community support and boost recruitment alongside a new Facebook page and a pared-back physical fitness test that will be much easier to pass.
It all adds up to a concerted effort to shed the negative impact of last year's Occupy protests on the force's reputation after criticism over its handling of the pro-democracy movement.
Superintendent Yolanda Yu Hoi-kwan from the recruitment division of the personnel wing said the level of interest yesterday was "encouraging".
She noted that the attendance figure was up on the 2,100 who applied at the last event in July. With another recruitment day in January, it would be the first time the force had hosted four events in one financial year, she said.
"Four years ago, we had only one recruitment day but now we have four," Yu said.
She maintained that the post-Occupy backlash had neither encouraged nor deterred people from joining.
"As reflected in the number of applications and because we are politically neutral, we welcome all people who would like to join the force and become our members, like a family," she said.
She dismissed claims that police were holding extra recruitment days because they were struggling to attract people, saying it was about adapting to "the changing environment".
Police now use a range of platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and mobile apps to reach "generation Z", Yu said, as most of yesterday's applicants were in their early 20s.
They should know later this month if they had made the cut, Yu said, as the police had now speeded up the recruitment process, which used to take three to four months. She said the force had filled about 60 per cent of this financial year's target of 190 inspectors, 1,320 constables and 320 auxiliary police officers.
During the screening process yesterday, applicants had to meet height and weight requirements. Would-be inspectors will return for a written exam later this month. Those who make it through the tests go on to complete a fitness test, a psychometric test and then a final interview.
Those who are accepted then start training, with inspectors and constables completing 36 and 27 weeks of training respectively, while auxiliary police constables do 320 hours of training.
Among the hopefuls yesterday, most came dressed smartly in black jackets and dress trousers, while others wore more casual attire.
Fitness trainer Marco Liu Chung-man, 29, said he had applied to be a constable several times before but had failed, so yesterday he put his hand up to be an auxiliary police officer.
"I want to serve society and have another mission in life," he said, adding that the Occupy movement "didn't encourage me to join but it didn't give me any negative feelings either".
Victor Chan, 25, who has just completed a science degree at a British university, applied to join as a probationary inspector.
"I just graduated and I have no idea what career I want so I just want to give this a try," he said outside police headquarters in Wan Chai.
"I'm still young, I have a degree and I want to try different things. Some people have strong opinions against the police but Occupy didn't affect my view. My parents were positive about my decision and said it is hard to be a police officer right now, but if you have ambition, why not?"
