Typhoon Day Recall Sparks Outrage Among Hsinchu Police

The Hsinchu City Police Bureau has drawn criticism from its own officers for demanding they report to duty within an hour on a typhoon day, despite the city government having declared a suspension of work and classes. The directive, reportedly issued on July 10th, instructed personnel to "expand anti-typhoon disaster prevention personnel" and be ready to report to the office by noon, just one hour after the notification.

Officers voiced their frustration on social media, with one post on "靠北Police之鴿的無奈" (roughly translated as "Complaining about Police Officers' Helplessness") questioning the bureau's treatment of its employees. The post highlighted the difficulty of making last-minute childcare arrangements and the lack of clear communication regarding compensation for overtime or travel expenses. The anonymous officer argued that while police understand the need for sacrifice during disaster prevention, the sudden and seemingly unnecessary expansion of personnel on a day off felt unreasonable.

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Please treat employees like people, we are not slaves.

In response, the Hsinchu City Police Bureau explained that the order was issued in accordance with the city's Level 1 disaster response activation. They stated that police resources have been mobilized to investigate and address disaster situations, including勸離 (persuading people to leave) restricted areas and handling reported incidents. The bureau assured that all rights regarding overtime pay and compensatory leave would be processed according to law. They also mentioned that unit leaders have been instructed to communicate these rights to the officers and that a proxy system is in place for those with urgent personal matters, aiming to balance disaster response duties with employee welfare.

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In response to the typhoon and the activation of the Hsinchu City Government's disaster response center at Level 1, the highest level of disaster prevention mechanism was activated according to regulations, and police force was adjusted dynamically.