Auxiliary Police seeking 192 university students to replace retiring officers

The auxiliary police force is on the lookout for fresh young faces from universities this year to join as part-time officers amid a retirement exodus of veterans.

The team has been recruiting more university students as auxiliary policemen in recent years, as officers who joined in the 1970s retired one after another.

Hiring undergraduates could freshen up the squad, enhance its service quality and train them to be more disciplined adults, Auxiliary Police Commandant Yiu Yeung-lung said yesterday.

"This can provide us with a team of young and capable officers for our future succession," he said.

Every year, an average of 250 officers leave the 3,844-strong squad, a part-time reserve for the regular police force.

Replacements for the departures are sought partly through an auxiliary police undergraduate scheme. This year the team seeks to hire 192 university students, up from 128 last year.