The National Police Agency has earmarked a NT$123.41 million (US$3.79 million) budget over the next three years to upgrade training for civilian defense forces, organize local units and improve equipment, it said in a report to legislators on Monday last week.
The program also aims to enhance training for rescue operations during disasters, broaden exchanges with counterparts in other countries, and improve preparedness and resiliency when dealing with contingencies, the agency said.
Trainings, to be organized at a local level, and other planned works would follow the regulations and measures set out under the Civil Defense Act (民防法) and the Regulations Governing the Marshalling, Training, Drill and Military Operation Support of Civil Defense Forces (民防團隊編組訓練演習服勤及支援軍事勤務辦法), police officials said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The law states that the civil defense force should be organized into a “civil defense group” (Article 3, Item 2) under city and county governments, “special defense corps” (Article 4, II) and “defense regiment” (Article 4, III).
The “civil defense group” would be under the command of the city mayor and county commissioner; police precincts would organize a “civil defense brigade,” “volunteer police team” and “traffic police and volunteer team;” while villages and boroughs would form “watch patrol teams” for the community, and “mountain auxiliary police” teams for mountain villages, officials said.
These civilian units at local levels would undertake rescue work during disasters, combat crime and safeguard public safety, aid in traffic control, and assist in distributing emergency goods and materials during extreme situations, the report said.
City and county governments have inadequate training, lack essential equipment for their civilian defense groups, are unable to effectively mobilize these units, have insufficient personnel and are facing aging problems, the report said.
A new national upgrading program is needed to boost local units, wherein capable people undertake civilian defense tasks and take the initiative in dealing with contingencies, thereby creating a civilian defense network where society works together to maintain social order and safeguard national security, it said.
The program aims to use the NT$123.41 million budget to “effectively activate the civilian force network” and “enhance whole-of-society defense resilience,” by organizing new units, bolstering tools and equipment, strengthening training and supporting more international exchanges, the report said, adding that it would also organize competitions and set up honors and rewards systems.
Agency officials said they aim to inaugurate a “civilian defense demonstration unit” for each of the 19 city and county governments next year, set up a “volunteer police demonstration team” the following year and to increase the “under 49” age ratio of the units, with younger personnel accounting for 8 percent by 2027.
Plans are also underway to hold training and leadership programs for the higher echelons of civilian force units to build up their competence in dealing with all types of contingencies, they added.
Next year, the agency has scheduled trainings for medical emergencies for 13,700 police captains, more training programs with other countries, international collaboration at various levels and a “seed instructor” plan to boost Taiwan’s capability in responding to national disasters and contingencies, NPA officials said.
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