SINGAPORE: Junior police officers will receive a retention bonus this year. The move is aimed at retaining young officers in the first eight years of service.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng revealed this in a written reply to a Parliamentary question from Sembawang GRC MP Ellen Lee.

Ms Lee had asked about plans to enhance recruitment and retention of police officers.

DPM Wong said that beyond remuneration, the Singapore Police Force has also improved its career development framework. This includes allowing more appointments and promotions into the Senior Officers' ranks for deserving police officers.

The Singapore Police Force has also increased its recruiting presence in schools to highlight the occupation as an attractive career choice.

As for graduate senior police officers, Mr Wong said recruitment and retention have remained stable and strong despite the tighter labour market. But this was not the case for junior police officers.

Since 2004, the number of police officers leaving the service rose by 50 per cent, from 221 in 2004 to 332 in 2007.

As for recruitment, the numbers dropped initially in 2005, from 419 in 2004 to 350 in 2005, but has since improved from 350 in 2006 to 407 in 2007.

Mr Wong said that despite the stronger recruitment numbers, the Singapore Police Force is still unable to meet its recruitment needs to address the higher demands placed on the Force.

Apart from the threat of terrorism, the growth of Singapore as a Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) site has resulted in more high-profile meetings and large scale events such as the F1 race and the Youth Olympics being hosted here.

To ensure the safety and security of such events, the Singapore Police Force has had to develop new capabilities with a resultant increase in manpower.

- CNA/yb