JUNIOR police officers will get a retention bonus this year as part of measures to keep them in the force in their first eight years of service, said Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng.

Mr Wong said recruitment and retention of these young officers has been adversely affected by the tighter labour market.

Since 2004, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has lost many police officers - from 221 in 2004 to 332 in 2007, a 50 per cent increase.

It has not been able to recruit as fast too. New hires dropped from 419 in 2004 to 350 in 2005, but the situation has since improved. Last year, the force took in 407 new officers.

For graduate senior police officers, recruitment and retention has remained stable and strong despite the tighter labour market, said Mr Wong, who gave the figures in his written reply to a question from MP Ellen Lee Geck Hoon of Sembawang GRC.

As remuneration is a key consideration for job applicants, he said the Government has reviewed the remuneration package for police officers as part of an overall review of the Home Affairs Uniformed Service (HUS) Schemes last year to ensure that they were competitive.

'Despite the stronger recruitment numbers, SPF is still unable to meet its recruitment needs to address the higher demands placed on the force,' said Mr Wong, who is the Deputy Prime Minister.

'Apart from the threat from terrorism, the growth of Singapore as a Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Meetings (MICE) has resulted in more high-profile meetings and large scale events such as the F1 and the Youth Olympics being hosted here. To ensure the safety and security of such events, SPF has had to develop new capabilities with a resultant increase in manpower.'

He said SPF is going to schools, junior colleges, polytechnics and ITEs to highlight the police force as an attractive career choice.

The SPF has also improved its career development framework to allow more appointments and promotions to senior officers.