NPA to reduce police officer workload

Staff writer, with CNA

Tue, Apr 21, 2015 - Page 3

The National Police Agency (NPA) has decided to streamline the tasks of police officers to reduce their workload, an official said yesterday.

The restructuring is to be applied to 20 types of police duties, including helping with the inspection of areas where smoking is banned and preventing illegal use of firecrackers and fireworks, NPA Chief Secretary Chen Chia-chang (陳嘉昌) said.

Also, police are no longer to deal with situations that do not fall within the scope of their duties, such as complaints about frog and bird noises, Chen said at a news conference hosted by the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) legislative caucus to draw public attention to officers’ workloads.

KMT caucus whip Liao Kuo-tung (廖國棟) said that, besides maintaining law and order, police officers are responsible for assisting authorities with 184 tasks.

In addition, officers are sometimes called upon to help change infants’ diapers, clear fallen rocks, search for lost objects and change vehicle tires, Liao said, showing photographs to prove his statement.

In Taipei, there is one police officer for every 388 residents on average, while in New Taipei City the ratio is 1-543, according to KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇), who said the ratios highlight the pressure placed on frontline officers.