The National Police Administration (NPA) recently came under fire from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers for sending out a notice to police departments across the nation that two merits would be awarded to all officers able to swim 50m without stopping.
DPP Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) slammed the NPA for “toadying to President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) hobby, ranking merits gained from swimming over merits gained from apprehending criminals.”
The NPA said the move was in accordance with the National Council of Physical Fitness and Sports’ (NCPFS) event “Swim it up” and that officers able to complete a 50m swim without their feet touching the ground would receive two merits.
The NCPFS event is being organized in accordance with Ma’s instructions at a National Youth Policy Forum in 2009, when he said the number of policemen able to swim should be increased from 40 percent to 48 percent.
According to an NPA report in 2009, only 42 percent of policemen nationwide were able to swim, a figure that rose to 46 percent after one year of promotional efforts.
Huang criticized the NPA for prioritizing swimming over the apprehension of criminals.
Some police officers said that swimming 50m for two merits was much easier than risking their lives apprehending drug dealers or handing out tickets.
Some lower ranking officers said that in normal circumstances they have to hand out 50 tickets over a six-month period to receive just one merit, while risking their lives arresting villains and drug dealers is also worth just one merit.
Receiving two merits for swimming 50m is a disproportionate reward, especially given that it is something many high school students can do, an officer said.
Huang alleged that the military, the police, and even schools have been asked to focus more on promoting swimming because it is one of Ma’s favorite sports.
City councilors across party lines also criticized the NPA’s move, questioning its usefulness in reducing the crime rate.
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