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42-605: The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force , more widely known as the Marine Police . The marine police patrols 1,651 km (637 sq mi) of waters within the territory of Hong Kong , including 263 islands . The Marine Region is made up of about 3,000 officers. It has a fleet of 142 boats in total, the largest of any civil police force in the world. The Marine Region comprises approximately 3,000 officers overseeing around 13,000 local craft and

84-484: A goose step . The language spoken during drills changed from English to Chinese, and junior officers stopped addressing higher-ranking officers with "Yes Sir". During the 1940s, the HKPF faced a number of corruption scandals involving officers. During the 1950s and 1960s, the force struggled with corruption issues relating to bribes from syndicated drugs and illegal gambling operations . Police corruption again emerged as

126-534: A Sabre Red pepper spray for less-than-lethal options when patrolling on the street. Small quantity of members are trained for missions that involve the guard of consulates and police stations, which they are armed with an addition of the Remington 870 shotgun in 12 Gauge . Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force uniform are the same as those worn by the HKP: Ranks from constables to sergeant consists of numbers begin with

168-589: A Senior Superintendent; divisions and units are commanded by Superintendents, who are assisted by Chief Inspectors. The Region comprises: The Marine Region had its headquarters at the Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound in Tsim Sha Tsui until 1996, when they were relocated to Sai Wan Ho . The old headquarters have now become a heritage tourism facility known as 1881 Heritage . Marine craft The Hong Kong 'Water Police' had

210-507: A badge, but instead carry a warrant card for identification. The uniform also does not include shoulder patches. Instead, a silver HKPF emblem is displayed on the headgear. The only patch on the uniform reads “Police” in English and Chinese, and is sewn above the left breast pocket of the shirt. Navy blue epaulettes worn on all uniform shirts and jackets show the officer's rank insignia (if any) and unique identification number. Uniform officers wear

252-429: A black Sam Browne belt with shoulder strap. Female officers wore a short-sleeved beige shirt with a knee-length skirt until the mid-1990s when they were given the same uniform as male officers (without the shoulder strap). Bermuda shorts were worn by male officers instead of trousers from the early 20th century until the 1970s. Retired winter uniform: A cornflower blue (or white, for commissioned officers) shirt with

294-483: A black whistle on the front right pocket and insignia on the collar for commissioned officers. A Sam Browne belt is also worn. The previous uniforms were reminiscent of the British colonial era, and were replaced with what were intended to be more modern, international, and cosmopolitan uniforms in 2005. Retired summer uniform: A short-sleeved olive green tunic-style tropical field shirt, and olive green trousers worn with

336-478: A blue and red striped necktie, worn under a heavy navy blue tunic coat and a Sam Browne Belt with shoulder strap, and navy blue trousers. The tunic may be removed and shirt sleeves folded up to the elbows when working indoors or in warmer weather. Retired headgear: Pith helmets, turbans and conical hats were worn (depending on the ethnicity of the officer) in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Berets, peaked caps and bowler hats (for female officers) were introduced in

378-561: A major concern in the early 1970s when the Commissioner ordered investigations to break the culture of corruption, causing forty-odd officers to flee Hong Kong with more than HK$ 80 million cash (about HK$ 2 million each). More recently, the Hong Kong Police Force has faced extensive allegations of misconduct during the 2019 protests including excessive force, brutality, torture, and falsified evidence. In particular,

420-887: A major reshaping of the police force, the service was renamed 'Marine Police'. During the 1966 Star Ferry riots , the Marine Police provided a riot company which was deployed in action on Nathan Road. As part of the response to the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests , the Marine Police participated in Operation Tiderider aimed at quelling the ensuing riots. Hong Kong Police Force High Court District Court Magistrates' Court Special courts and tribunals: Chief Executive Elections Legislative elections District council elections Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong–China relations Hong Kong–Taiwan relations The Hong Kong Police Force ( HKPF )

462-544: A plaited black, yellow and red lanyard for CP's Commendation, or red for Governor's. Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force The HKAPF's mandate is governed by the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force Ordinance. The Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force was officially established in 1957 with the merger of the 'Special' and 'Reserve' formations which had been in intermittent existence since the 1880s. The part-timers were formally established in 1914 as

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504-479: A policing authority in the new colony, empowering Captain William Caine to enforce Qing law in respect of local inhabitants and "British Police Law" for "non-natives". By October 1842, an organised police force (still under the direction of Caine who was also Chief Magistrate) was routinely bringing criminals before the courts for trial. Caine's role as head of the police force ended when its first Superintendent

546-421: A role from the earliest days of British Hong Kong. The first actual vessel was acquired in 1846 – a sailing 'gun-boat' with a crew of 17, which was used for anti-piracy work. The vessel and its entire crew were lost in a typhoon two years later. By then the unit consisted of approximately 40 men and three boats. Each Constable in a six-man crew was armed with a pistol and a cutlass. After World War II , as part of

588-424: A short-sleeved shirt can be worn with an open collar in warm weather. A waist-length dark blue windbreaker can also be worn over the shirt in cooler temperatures. Male officers typically wear a black peaked cap while female officers wear a black bowler hat with a red stripe. Dark-blue baseball caps may also be worn. Specialized unites wear either dark blue baseball caps or navy blue berets. HKPF officers do not wear

630-399: A slide with a silver vertical line on the collar of the uniform, a black baton, and a red whistle or a black and white whistle on the front right pocket. The current Hong Kong Police uniform was implemented in 2005. Most front-line officers wear a light blue shirt and dark blue cargo trousers, while senior officers wear a white shirt. A long-sleeved shirt is worn with a black necktie, while

672-567: A total maritime population of 14,100. In addition to normal marine policing functions, the marine police is also responsible for countering illegal immigration and smuggling at sea. The Marine Region usually mounts shore patrol to police the smaller islands and isolated communities with no land transport to other parts of the Hong Kong, and participates in the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre , which

714-412: A utility belt which holds a sidearm, extra ammunition, a handcuff , an extendable baton , a pepper spray , a Motorola radio with a connected remote speaker microphone attached to the shoulder and a body-mounted camera. While the HKPF had been following their past equipment procurement policies for Hong Kong’s British legacy, following the international arms trading embargo imposed after the passing of

756-512: A white helmet. A blue baseball-style cap is worn when not riding. Rural Patrol Unit: Cargo shirt and trousers in olive green are worn with either a dark blue baseball-style cap or a navy blue beret. Cargo shirt and trousers in Disruptive Pattern Camouflage is also sometimes worn. Other specialized units: In some specialized units, a cargo shirt is worn in either olive green, dark blue, or disruptive pattern camouflage (depending on

798-414: Is responsible for co-ordinating maritime rescue operations both within and outside Hong Kong waters. The region's headquarters are located at Sai Wan Ho . The Marine Region comprises a Regional Headquarters and two sea districts. The entire region is commanded by a Regional Commander with the rank of Assistant Commissioner, who is assisted by a Chief Superintendent. Each of the three bureaus is commanded by

840-638: Is retained. The Commandant reports to the Commissioner of Police . The rank structure of the HKAPF: The members of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force are trained in the use of, and issued, the same equipment and weapons same as its regular counterpart. Officers are issued the Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolvers as sidearms with 12 rounds of ammunition along with an ASP expendable baton and

882-666: Is the primary law enforcement , investigative agency, and largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong . Pursuant to the one country, two systems principle, the HKPF is officially independent of the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China , which under usual circumstances may not interfere with Hong Kong’s local law enforcement matters. All HKPF officers are employed as civil servants and therefore required to pledge allegiance to

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924-536: The British Army had operated the border patrol. The force played a prominent role in the process of the handover of sovereignty in 1997 and continues to perform ceremonial flag-raising on each anniversary. With the handover of sovereignty, the police force dropped the prefix "Royal" from its name. In the 2010s, the police force played a prominent role in relation to the 2014 Hong Kong protests and 2019–20 Hong Kong protests . Following Chris Tang 's appointment as

966-541: The Commissioner of Police in November 2019, the police force changed its motto from "We serve with pride and care", which had been used for more than 20 years, to "Serving Hong Kong with honour, duty and loyalty." The Economist suggested that this change would curry favour with the central government of China . In July 2022, as part of a process to remove colonial aspects from the force, foot drills changed from British style to Chinese People's Liberation Army style with

1008-675: The Hong Kong Basic Law . The HKPF consists of approximately 34,000 officers, including the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force , civil servants, and its Marine Region (3,000 officers and 143 vessels as of 2009). A police force has been serving Hong Kong since shortly after the island was established as a colony in 1841. On 30 April 1841, 12 weeks after the British landed in Hong Kong, Captain Charles Elliot established

1050-555: The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was created to give government wide-ranging powers to investigate corruption. At the turn of the 1980s, the Hong Kong Police Force began marketing itself as "Asia's Finest". The recruitment of Europeans to the force ceased in 1994, and in 1995 the Royal Hong Kong Police took responsibility for patrolling the boundary with China. Prior to 1995,

1092-485: The National Security Law in 2020, the HKPF had started importing firearms from Mainland China to refresh their inventory. Traffic Branch Motorcyclists: A heavy, bright, yellow and blue reflective jacket is worn. In warmer weather, a lightweight yellow reflective vest is an alternative. Black knee-high leather riding boots are also worn with navy blue riding trousers, along with protective gear such as gloves and

1134-788: The Police Reserve unit , when numerous full-time officers returned to Europe to fight in the World War I . From 1969 to 1997, the Hong Kong Auxiliary Force was known as the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force . Today the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force forms an about 4,500 reserves of manpower to assist in times of natural disaster or civil emergency. Officers are involved in reinforcing daily duties and performing crowd control at public events and festivals . The ability to assist during times of emergency

1176-720: The St Edward's Crown was used in the insignia, when it was replaced with the Bauhinia flower crest of the Hong Kong government. Pips were modified with the Bauhinia flower in the middle replacing the insignia from the Order of the Bath . The crest of the force was modified in 1997. The rank structure, organisation and insignia are similar to those used by the Metropolitan Police Service until

1218-535: The 1970s and 1980s, large numbers of Vietnamese boat people arrived in Hong Kong, posing challenges first for marine police, secondly for officers who manned the dozens of camps in the territory and lastly for those who had to repatriate them. The force was granted the use of the title ‘royal’ in 1969 for its handling of the Hong Kong 1967 riots — renaming it the Royal Hong Kong Police Force . In 1974,

1260-922: The Crime Department of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force in 1946 and focussed on preventing pro-KMT rightists and pro-CCP leftists from infiltrating the colony. Police officers enjoy remuneration far exceeding median incomes in the Special Administrative Region (HK$ 18,000 per month in 2019 ), the base rate for newly recruited police constables with minimal high school education being HK$ 24,110 per month and that for high school matriculants being HK$ 42,655. In addition, all officers enjoy extensive housing benefits , free medical and dental benefits (including coverage of family members), with substantial vacation, sick and maternity leave allowances exceeding statutory minimums. In addition, officers and their families enjoy substantial fringe benefits through

1302-611: The commander of the HKPF and reports directly to the Secretary for Security . The HKPF is divided into six primary departments: Operations & Support, Crime & Security, Personnel & Training, Management Services, Finance, Administration & Planning, and National Security . The Special Branch was established by the British Colonial Government of Hong Kong in 1934 originally as an anti-communist squad under MI5 with assistance from MI6 . The branch later joined

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1344-422: The early to mid-20th century. Baseball-style caps for some specialized units were also introduced in the early 21st century. Until 1998, all officers wore a black whistle lanyard over the left shoulder running under the epaulet with the double cord attached to a whistle tucked in to the left breast tunic pocket. Officers who had received a Commissioner of Police Commendation or HE Governor's Commendation were issued

1386-550: The force retained after the liberation of Hong Kong from Japan and were given the letter designation of "J". Officers served pre-war were also reinstated into the force. The 1950s saw the commencement of Hong Kong's 40-year rise to global prominence, during which time the Hong Kong Police tackled many issues that have challenged Hong Kong's stability. Between 1949 and 1989 , Hong Kong experienced several huge waves of immigration from mainland China , most notably 1958–62 . In

1428-424: The force. The Police Children's Education Trust and Police Education & Welfare Trust disburse funds by way of scholarships, bursaries and grants for education expenses and to assist officers with needy children or in financial difficulty. These funds were also the recipients of HK$ 10 million in 2017 from an undisclosed donor. Numerous associations of serving and retired police officers have been formed over

1470-473: The mid-1970s. Up until 1997, uniforms and hats had distinctions according to their rank. For example, senior constable and sergeant ranks are plastic ranks on the sleeve of the uniform. Special Duties Unit , Marine Police, and the Counter-terrorism Response Unit have their ranks at the back of the helmet or vest. Inspector to senior superintendent ranks have an insignia on the collar of

1512-616: The police were criticised for their failure to respond during the mob attack at the Yuen Long MTR station in July 2019. Several lawsuits were filed in October 2019 against the HKPF for failure to show identification during protests. In May 2023, the HKPF recommended that schools install CCTV cameras in school classrooms to enhance security. From 2019 to 2022, 24 to 42 police officers were arrested per year. The Commissioner of Police serves as

1554-496: The pro-Beijing Friends of Hong Kong Association, which consists of National People’s Congress delegates and members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference national committee, in 2019, raised concern, as did a 2017 donation of HK$ 15 million, that fringe benefits may be inadequate. Two trust funds established by statute in 1967 augment the benefits enjoyed by members of

1596-471: The statutorily entrenched Police Welfare Fund which has current assets exceeding HK$ 200 million. Attracting funds in excess of HK$ 50 million per annum, almost entirely donations, the fund trustee, the Commissioner of Police, has unfettered freedom to choose how the funds are to be expended. The Commissioner disburses the bulk of its annual expenditure in the form of cash grants to police officers and their families. A donation of HK$ 10 million by

1638-424: The uniform. Chief Inspectors have a wide black stripe fitted on their police hats. Superintendents also have a small white stripe fitted on the police hat. Senior Superintendents and Chief Superintendents have a wide white stripe on their hats, Assistant and Senior Assistant Commissioners have 1 row of silver oak leaves on the edge of their hats while Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner has 2 rows of silver oak leaves,

1680-433: The unit), along with matching cargo trousers, and a navy blue beret or a dark blue baseball-style cap. Ceremonial uniforms include either a white (similar to No.3 Warm weather ceremonial uniform ) or navy blue tunic (similar to the old winter uniform). Sword design was based on 1897 pattern British Army infantry officer's sword and used for formal occasions such as parade out or Legal Opening Day . They are fitted with

1722-500: The years. Currently, these include: The four serving officers' associations wield significant power, controlling half of the voting rights on the Police Force Council. Government consultations with Police Force staff are formally conducted through the council and the associations figure prominently at times of controversy. The HKPF continues to use ranks and insignia similar to those used in British police forces. Until 1997,

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1764-608: Was appointed on 22 February 1844, Captain Haly of the 41st Madras Native Infantry . The formal establishment of the force was gazetted on 1 May 1844. During World War II, Japan occupied Hong Kong , and the Hong Kong Police Force was temporarily disbanded. Policing duties were assumed by the Japanese Kempeitai , with Chinese officers being forced to serve alongside and officers of other ethnicities sent to Stanley Prison . Some local Chinese were also recruited as police officers, which

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