The Hong Kong Police Force have been allocated a record HK$27.8 billion for the 2024-25 fiscal year, 9.2 per cent higher than the previous financial year.
The latest budget is over 40 per cent higher than that of 2018-19, which was HK$19.6 billion.
The largest portion of expenditure, according to the proposed 2024-25 budget published by the government on Wednesday, would be allocated to the “maintenance of law and order in the community,” at a cost of over HK$13 billion.
In addition, HK$165 million is earmarked for “rewards and special services,” which is used to arrange police informers, local media outlet the Collective reported.
The projected expenditure for informers was 16.7 per cent more than the previous fiscal year, and nearly double that of 2015.
This year’s budget saw the budgets for all of Hong Kong’s disciplinary forces rise, with the police seeing the highest growth rate.
The number of positions in the police force has risen significantly over the past 10 years. By March 31, there were 38,188 posts, 15 per cent more than in 2014.
The government plans to reduce 273 police posts by March 31, 2015.
Over HK$101 billion deficit
The record high police budget came as the city expected to see a significant deficit for the second consecutive year. Secretary for Finance Paul Chan unveiled and estimated deficit of HK$101.6 billion on Wednesday, with fiscal reserves expects to stand at around HK$733 billion by March 31.
Chan said that the government’s total budget for 2024-25 was estimated to be HK$623.5 billion, only 1.5 per cent higher compared to last fiscal year. The new budget also scaled back one-off relief measures for the general public.
“I hope everyone understands that because of the financial situation, the room that we have to work with is relatively limited,” Chan said on Wednesday in Cantonese in response to questions about fewer tax cuts introduced in the new budget.
Low satisfaction rate
According to a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) after Chan announced next year’s budget, 53 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with the budget, while 19 per cent said they felt satisfied.
When asked to rate the new budget on a scale of 0-100 to mark degree of satisfaction, respondents reported a median rate of 37.2, significantly lower the rate in 2023 and 2022.
The poll on 2,409 respondents was conducted via an online survey on Wednesday and Thursday.
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