POP releases popularity figures of Hong Kong disciplinary forces and the PLA Hong Kong Garrison (2021-06-08)

Jun 08, 2021
Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute Press Conference – Press Materials

Detailed Findings

POP releases popularity figures of Hong Kong disciplinary forces
and the PLA Hong Kong Garrison

Special Announcement

The predecessor of Hong Kong Public Opinion Program (HKPOP) was The Public Opinion Programme at The University of Hong Kong (HKUPOP). “POP” in this release can refer to HKPOP or its predecessor HKUPOP.

Abstract

POP successfully interviewed 1,004 Hong Kong residents by a random telephone survey conducted by real interviewers in the second half of May. Latest survey shows that the Fire Services Department continues to be people’s most satisfied disciplinary force, with a rating of 79.5 marks. The 2nd and 3rd places go to the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Government Flying Service, with 74.2 and 67.2 marks respectively. The 4th to 8th ranks go to the Civil Aid Service, the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Correctional Services Department. Finally, the Police Force attains a rating of 44.2 marks, with 29% of the sample giving zero mark and continues to be the lowest among the nine disciplinary forces. Its net satisfaction rate stands at negative 9 percentage points. The relative positions among the disciplinary forces have not changed much over the past six months. Besides, people’s latest satisfaction rating toward the PLA Hong Kong Garrison is 51.4 marks. Its net satisfaction rate is positive 12 percentage points. Compared with half a year ago, the rating of the Civil Aid Service has increased significantly, whereas those of the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Customs and Excise Department and the Immigration Department have dropped significantly. The latter two have registered record lows since the relevant questions first started in 2012, while those of the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Independent Commission Against Corruption have registered record lows since they were first started in 2013. The effective response rate of the survey is 52.5%. The maximum sampling error of percentages is +/-4%, that of net values is +/-7% and that of ratings is +/-3.5 at 95% confidence level.

Contact Information

Date of survey	:	17-21/5/2021
Survey method	:	Random telephone survey conducted by real interviewers
Target population	:	Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents aged 18 or above
Sample size[1]	:	1,004 (including 494 landline and 510 mobile samples)
Effective response rate	:	52.5%
Sampling error[2]	:	Sampling error of percentages not more than +/-4%, that of net values not more than +/-7% and that of ratings not more than +/-3.5 at 95% conf. level
Weighting method	:	Rim-weighted according to figures provided by the Census and Statistics Department. The gender-age distribution of the Hong Kong population came from “Mid-year population for 2020”, while the educational attainment (highest level attended) distribution and economic activity status distribution came from “Women and Men in Hong Kong – Key Statistics (2020 Edition)”.

[1] This figure is the total sample size of the survey. Some questions may only involve a subsample, the size of which can be found in the tables below.

[2] Before September 2017, “overall response rate” was used to report surveys’ contact information. Starting from September 2017, “effective response rate” was used. In July 2018, POP further revised the calculation of effective response rate. Thus, the response rates before and after the change cannot be directly compared.

Latest Figures

Latest satisfaction ratings of Hong Kong disciplinary forces and the PLA Hong Kong Garrison are summarized as follows:

Date of survey	1-6/8/19	21-26/11/19	4-6/5/20	23-26/11/20	17-21/5/21		Latest change
Sample size[3]	1,015	584-650	536-672	506-535	570-632		—
Response rate	62.8%	67.7%	62.5%	74.6%	52.5%		—
Latest findings[4]	Finding	Finding	Finding	Finding	Finding & error	Recog %	—
Fire Services Department	—	80.5{1}[5]	76.6{2}[5]	81.0{1}[5]	79.5+/-1.4{1}	98.8%	-1.5
Auxiliary Medical Service	—	80.2{2}[5]	77.4{1}[5]	78.2{2}	74.2+/-1.6{2}	90.2%	-4.0[5]
Government Flying Service	—	69.4{3}[5]	71.7{3}	65.7{3}[5]	67.2+/-2.3{3}	84.3%	+1.5
Civil Aid Service	—	63.9{6}[5]	62.9{5}	62.9{6}	66.3+/-2.2{4}	79.1%	+3.4[5]
Customs and Excise Department	—	68.7{4}[5]	64.4{4}[5]	64.5{4}	59.7+/-2.2{5}	92.6%	-4.9[5]
Immigration Department	—	66.2{5}[5]	60.8{6}[5]	63.6{5}	58.3+/-2.2{6}	92.5%	-5.3[5]
Independent Commission Against Corruption	—	57.9{8}[5]	54.8{7}	56.1{7}	54.5+/-2.4{7}	91.3%	-1.5
Correctional Services Department	—	58.3{7}[5]	51.6{8}[5]	52.1{8}	52.0+/-2.6{8}	82.5%	-0.1
Police Force	39.4[5]	35.3{9}[5]	36.8{9}	40.3{9}	44.2+/-3.2{9}	96.1%	+3.8
PLA Hong Kong Garrison	—	44.2[5]	44.2	49.1	51.4+/-3.5	75.0%	+2.3

[3] Before March 2020, weighted count was used to report subsample size. Starting from March 2020, raw count was used instead.

[4] Numbers in curly brackets { } indicate the rankings.

[5] The difference between the figure and the result from the previous survey has gone beyond the sampling error at 95% confidence level, meaning that the change is statistically significant prima facie. However, whether the difference is statistically significant is not the same as whether they are practically useful or meaningful, and different weighting methods could have been applied in different surveys.

Latest satisfaction rates of the Hong Kong Police Force and the PLA Hong Kong Garrison using the 5-point scale are summarized as follows:

Date of survey	3-6/6/19	21-26/11/19	4-6/5/20	23-26/11/20	17-21/5/21	Latest change
Sample size[6]	594-638	598-602	607-626	518-524	604-609	—
Response rate	60.4%	67.7%	62.5%	74.6%	52.5%	—
Latest findings	Finding	Finding	Finding	Finding	Finding & error	—
Satisfaction rate of the Police Force[7]	50%	27%[8]	34%[8]	33%	37+/-4%	+4%
Dissatisfaction rate of the Police Force[7]	28%	65%[8]	59%[8]	52%[8]	47+/-4%	-6%
Net satisfaction rate	22%	-38%[8]	-25%[8]	-19%	-9+/-7%	+10%
Mean value[7]	3.2	2.2[8]	2.4[8]	2.5	2.7+/-0.1	+0.2[8]
Satisfaction rate of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison[7]	49%	37%[8]	39%	36%	37+/-4%	—
Dissatisfaction rate of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison[7]	14%	33%[8]	36%	26%[8]	24+/-4%	-2%
Net satisfaction rate	35%	3%[8]	2%	10%	12+/-6%	+2%
Mean value[7]	3.6	3.0[8]	3.0	3.1	3.2+/-0.1	+0.1

[6] Before March 2020, weighted count was used to report subsample size. Starting from March 2020, raw count was used instead.

[7] Collapsed from a 5-point scale. The mean value is calculated by quantifying individual responses into 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 marks according to their degree of positive level, where 1 is the lowest and 5 the highest, and then calculate the sample mean. From October to December 2018, POP conducted tests on the wordings used in different rating scales. Figures in the table are the combined results. Please visit our website for details.

[8] The difference between the figure and the result from the previous survey has gone beyond the sampling error at 95% confidence level, meaning that the change is statistically significant prima facie. However, whether the difference is statistically significant is not the same as whether they are practically useful or meaningful, and different weighting methods could have been applied in different surveys.

Survey shows that regarding people’s satisfaction with disciplinary forces, the 1st to 3rd places go to the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Government Flying Service, with rating of 79.5, 74.2 and 67.2 marks respectively. The 4th to 8th ranks go to the Civil Aid Service, the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Correctional Services Department, with ratings at 66.3, 59.7, 58.3, 54.5 and 52.0 marks respectively. Finally, the Police Force attains a rating of 44.2 marks, with 29% of the sample giving zero mark and continues to be the lowest among the nine disciplinary forces. People’s latest satisfaction rate toward the Police Force is 37%, dissatisfaction rate 47%, giving a net satisfaction rate of negative 9 percentage points, which is 10 percentage points higher than the figure half a year ago, but the change has not gone beyond sampling error. The mean score is 2.7, meaning between “quite dissatisfied” and “half-half” in general. The relative positions among the disciplinary forces have not changed much. Only that the rating of the Civil Aid Service has surpassed those of the Customs and Excise Department and the Immigration Department to rank the fourth. Besides, people’s latest satisfaction rating toward the PLA Hong Kong Garrison is 51.4 marks. Its satisfaction rate is 37%, dissatisfaction rate 24%, giving a net satisfaction rate of positive 12 percentage points and a mean score of 3.2, meaning close to “half-half” in general.

Compared with half a year ago, the rating of the Civil Aid Service has increased significantly, whereas those of the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Customs and Excise Department and the Immigration Department have dropped significantly. The latter two have registered record lows since the relevant questions first started in 2012, while those of the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Independent Commission Against Corruption have registered record lows since they were first started in 2013.

Opinion Daily

In 2007, POP started collaborating with Wisers Information Limited whereby Wisers supplies to POP a record of significant events of that day according to the research method designed by POP. These daily entries would then become “Opinion Daily” after they are verified by POP.

For the polling items covered in this press release, the previous survey was conducted from 23 to 26 November, 2020 while this survey was conducted from 17 to 21 May, 2021. During this period, herewith the significant events selected from counting newspaper headlines and commentaries on a daily basis and covered by at least 25% of the local newspaper articles. Readers can make their own judgment if these significant events have any impacts to different polling figures.

14/5/21	The government freezes Jimmy Lai’s personal assets under the national security law.
8/5/21	The Department of Health lays charges against two patients infected with coronavirus variant for withholding information on their whereabouts.
23/4/21	Former member of Hong Kong National Front is jailed for 12 years for possessing explosives.
16/4/21	9 famous democrats are convicted and jailed for 8.18 assembly.
15/4/21	The government holds “National Security Education Day”.
13/4/21	The government will make law to ban public call to not vote or cast blank or spoilt votes.
1/3/21	The court reviews 47 democrats’ bail application overnight.
28/2/21	47 democrats are charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion”.
23/2/21	The government proposes amendments to laws to regulate oath-taking by public officers, compiling a negative list of behaviours, violators of which will be disqualified.
9/2/21	The Court of Final Appeal sets aside the High Court’s decision to grant bail to Jimmy Lai.
2/2/21	The government continues to lock down multiple areas for compulsory testing and says officials may break into flats.
1/2/21	The government locks down multiple areas for compulsory testing and lowers the threshold of imposing lockdowns.
6/1/21	Police arrests 53 democrats involved in the pro-democracy primaries who allegedly violated the national security law.
31/12/20	The Court of Final Appeal grants leave to appeal to the Department of Justice. Jimmy Lai is remanded in custody.
30/12/20	Ten among the 12 Hong Kong people case are sentenced to 7 months to 3 years in prison, while two minors are transferred to Hong Kong.
25/12/20	Jimmy Lai is granted bail, but barred from leaving home, giving interviews and publishing articles.
12/12/20	Jimmy Lai is additionally charged with “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”.
8/12/20	The government tightens anti-epidemic measures again and empower authorities to impose lockdown and mandatory testing.
5/12/20	Designated judge for national security cases Victor So receives death threat.
3/12/20	Jimmy Lai is denied bail and remanded in custody.
2/12/20	Former Demosistō member Joshua Wong, Ivan Lam and Agnes Chow are sentenced to 7 to 13.5 months in prison.
30/11/20	The government tightens anti-epidemic measures and sets up a hotline for reporting violations.

Data Analysis

Our latest survey shows that the Fire Services Department continues to be people’s most satisfied disciplinary force, with a rating of 79.5 marks. The 2nd and 3rd places go to the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Government Flying Service, with 74.2 and 67.2 marks respectively. The 4th to 8th ranks go to the Civil Aid Service, the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Correctional Services Department. Finally, the Police Force attains a rating of 44.2 marks, with 29% of the sample giving zero mark and continues to be the lowest among the nine disciplinary forces. Its net satisfaction rate stands at negative 9 percentage points. The relative positions among the disciplinary forces have not changed much over the past six months. Besides, people’s latest satisfaction rating toward the PLA Hong Kong Garrison is 51.4 marks. Its net satisfaction rate is positive 12 percentage points.

Compared with half a year ago, the rating of the Civil Aid Service has increased significantly, whereas those of the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Customs and Excise Department and the Immigration Department have dropped significantly. The latter two have registered record lows since the relevant questions first started in 2012, while those of the Auxiliary Medical Service and the Independent Commission Against Corruption have registered record lows since they were first started in 2013.