Secretary for Security TK Lai today inspected Correctional Services Department graduates.
Thirty-four Officers and 135 Assistant Officers II completed training programmes.
Two Officers were awarded the Principal's Shield and five Assistant Officers II were awarded the Golden Whistle for outstanding performance.
Mr Lai said correctional officers, as the gatekeepers of the last element of the criminal justice system, play a vital role in protecting public safety and preventing crime in Hong Kong.
He said, thanks to the hard work of the department's officers, Hong Kong’s recidivism rate has fallen to 25.9% compared to 36.5% a decade ago.
