SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE (Resignations)

Mr Yeo Choo Kok asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the recent resignations of officers from the Singapore Police Force have affected the Force and weakened law enforcement; and if his Ministry has taken measures to fill those vacancies and to improve the conditions of service so as to encourage officers to stay on.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, in January this year, seven junior officers resigned from the Police Force. Last month, two senior officers and 26 junior officers resigned.

Since the introduction of the 13th month pay, February and July each year are the months in which most resignations take place. Those who are thinking of resigning from the Force early in the year will make up their minds by June and resign in July. They know that if they were to wait further, then it would be better to wait till they collect their 13th month pay in December, serve notice of resignation in January and leave in February. Those who have decided to resign in the second half of the year, therefore, wait till February to leave.

In 1980, 16 junior officers resigned in February and another 16 resigned in July. However, for the whole year there were only 113 resignations. On average, between nine and 10 junior officers resigned per month. The 113 resignations for the whole year represented only 1.8% of the actual strength of junior officers at the end of that year. Therefore, although the number of resignations in February this year was high, there is no cause for alarm.

Since the bulk of the resignations is junior officers, they would not adversely affect the Force nor weaken law enforcement. Furthermore, 29 of the 33 junior officers were Constables, and there were only one Sergeant and one Corporal who resigned. Forty-two of them had less than four years' service.

Resignations represent one side of the coin. The other is recruitment. The staffing position of the Force as reflected in the number of vacancies is the net result of resignations and recruitment. In fact, the position of vacancies in the Police Force has improved over the last four years. In 1977, vacancies accounted for 12.6% of the authorized strength of the Force. Through regular recruitment exercises, the percentage improved to 6.8% in 1978, 7.1% in 1979 and 6.4% in 1980. From 1977 to 1980, 14,976 persons applied to join the Police Force. Of this total, 8,643 were found eligible and subsequently 1,165 were recruited after they had passed the interviews, medical examinations and screening.

For this year, the Police will hold two recruitment exercises.

The large numbers of applications received during recruitment exercises indicate that the conditions of service in the Police Force are not unattractive. However, efforts have been made to improve the career prospects of Police Officers. The more significant measures are as follows:

(1) the introduction of field promotions for outstanding junior officers, soon after they have shown bravery and competence in the field, and more recently merit promotions for other outstanding junior officers in between the regular bi-annual promotion exercises;

(2) increased opportunities for junior officers to perform duties of a higher rank so that they can be tested and considered for promotion if they perform well; and

(3) the introduction of new promotion ranks of Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police.