The police force intends to ignore union protests and proceed with a plan to reduce the salary of suspended officers because the existing practice of keeping them on full pay is wrong, the police chief said yesterday.
Commissioner Tsang Yam-pui said the force would ensure natural justice by introducing an appeal system for suspended officers who thought a pay cut would bring unreasonable financial difficulty.
Addressing the Legco Public Accounts Committee, Mr Tsang said the force leadership favoured the move, but would listen to legislators' advice before making a final decision.
His predecessor, Eddie Hui Ki-on, before retiring last month, promised to reduce pay for officers suspended for investigation. His promise followed an Audit Commission report that the Government could have saved $14.7 million if police were treated the same as other suspended civil servants, whose pay is halved during any criminal investigation.
The force has long resisted attempts to bring it into line with other civil servants, saying pay cuts would damage morale and be unjust.
Under the Police Force Ordinance, the commissioner may decide to cut the pay of officers below the rank of superintendent by up to half when they are under interdiction. Higher-ranking officers are referred to the Civil Service Bureau for a decision. So far, nearly all suspended officers have received full pay.
