Police force facing shortage of personnel
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With its image and integrity already in tatters due to recent public criticism, the Royal Thai Police (RTP) will also face a serious personnel shortage in the next two decades, as many officers will be retiring over the next six years.
In order to lure potential replacements for 32,169 officers due to retire by 2020, the bureau is preparing extra welfare and medical services as well as seeking finances to accommodate ageing police officers as recommended by a study conducted by RTP’s Human Resources Division.
A recent moral-boosting policy, in which all officers above the age of 53 are promoted to commissioned status without their old positions being filled, has created a shortage of non-commissioned officers.
There is also a shortage of specialist staff such as laboratory technicians and bomb-disposal experts.
The study also found that the average age of police officers is 43, which is a problem when it comes to high-energy jobs such as patrolmen, detectives and anti-narcotics officers.
The RTP currently has 216,958 police officers, 58,941 or 27.17 per cent of whom are commissioned officers and 158,017 or 72.83 per cent are non-commissioned officers. Of the total, 200,637 are men and 16,321 are women.
Police personnel make up the second largest number in the civilian service, at 16.08 per cent, compared to teachers, educational staff and lecturers under the Education Ministry.
The study recommends that long-term development measures be put in place to keep staff motivated; that superiors as well as non-commissioned officers undergo leadership training; and police officers be given greater authority to serve in other areas so as to prepare for future decentralisation of power according to RTP’s policies.
The study also said that all members of staff should undergo training so they can keep up-to-date with modern crimes and be prepared for the Asean Economic Community, which kicks off next year.
