Some cop recruits 'more suited' to fight cyber scams

Police candidates of shorter build but who are good with financial technology can help fight cyber crimes amid a significant surge in scams in recent years, says Independent Police Complaints Council vice chairman Ronick Chan Chun-ying.

His comments came as police lift the minimum height and weight requirement to join the force from tomorrow. Candidates can also wear spectacles during vision tests.

Chan said it is appropriate for the force to adjust the requirements, as the city has seen a rapid surge in scams. Police officers should be capable of handling technology crimes, he said.

Police should allocate officers to different positions based on their merits, he said. For example, those who are shorter but with financial and technological knowledge should be deployed to handle cyber security and technology crimes, while cops who are stronger should be sent to the frontline to handle robbery or other violent crimes.

He added that removing the height and weight requirements can ease the manpower shortage in the force.

Gary Chan Hak-kan, chairman of the Legislative Council's panel on security, said lifting requirements does not mean that standards for police officers will decline.

"Successful candidates have to undergo training programs," he said. "I believe the police force is able to maintain its normal service once these officers gain adequate skills."

He said police are facing difficulty in recruitment, adding that the force has been trying to hire Hong Kong graduates in mainland cities.

Junior Police Officers' Association chairman Lam Chi-wai said adjusting the recruitment strategy is a good attempt to attract talent.

Candidates' physical ability and education level do not necessarily determine their working ability, he said, and added that all successful candidates will receive weeks of strict physical and legal training before they can achieve the graduation goals of the Police College and serve the force.

He stressed that the quality of police officers will not decline.

Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, meanwhile, said the Department of Justice will update the prosecution code to enhance prosecution against technology crimes.

A technology crime subdivision is being proposed, as the city recorded more than 20,000 technology crimes last year - up 40 percent from 2021.

"Crimes involving new technologies have been developing and are becoming more complicated," Cheung said. "After the subdivision is set up, we will be able to follow these cases more closely to keep our policies updated."

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com