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[1] The Hong Kong Police College has become the first government department to offer a bachelor’s degree programme. The force is set to roll out the course for rank-and-file officers by the end of this year. Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming announced the development after the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications approved the college’s Bachelor of Policing (Honours) (Security and Criminal Investigation) programme.
[2] The curriculum will cover foundational and criminal investigation training. It will also offer internships, including frontline patrols, and language courses. Students will also be expected to complete a thematic report before graduating. According to the Education Bureau’s website, this programme is a part-time, in-house training course that will be valid from August 2026 until August 2031.
[3] The college was started in 2006. It was originally founded as the Police Training School in 1948. It offers many different kinds of training, including a basic programme for recruits and specialised courses for current officers. Chow said that the police have recruited 30 probationary inspectors and 362 police constables for the 2026-27 financial year. Last month, the police began a recruitment campaign at local universities.
[4] The police force has had a hard time reaching its recruitment goals since 2020. It has removed the minimum height and weight requirements. Now, candidates can wear glasses or contact lenses during eye tests. Applicants who did not pass public exams can also take a new written test in Chinese or English to qualify. As of March 2025, the force had a vacancy rate of 17.4 per cent. It plans to hire 130 new probationary inspectors and 1,140 police constables in the 2025-26 financial year.
[5] To become a police constable, you need at least level 2 in five subjects in the Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE). Those who have a university degree usually apply to become inspectors instead. The police used to train recruits and officers at the old Police Training School. The training courses mostly focused on practical skills needed for the job, discipline and the basic legal knowledge required to carry out police duties.
[6] After the school was upgraded to a college in 2006, its courses were revised to cover leadership training. It also provided a pathway for frontline officers to pursue further studies. The force partnered with the then Open University of Hong Kong, now Hong Kong Metropolitan University, to deliver modules in the foundation training course for constable recruits.
Source: South China Morning Post, September 12
