600 ocean-going ships and numerous smaller vessels engaged in coastal trade enter and leave the harbour each month, quite apart from the multitude of small craft plying trade within the harbour and the local fishing fleet which operates out of the typhoon shelters at Shau Kei Wan, Yau Ma Tei and Tsuen Wan.
Hong Kong is one of the busiest conventional ports in the world and is rapidly also becoming a major container terminal port. Accompanying the rapid progress in the movement and handling of cargo has been an increase in the complexity, though not the volume, of crime. A total of 78 crimes were reported during 1976 as against 92 in 1975.
Sectors Division
The largest of the divisions, Sectors, performs duties similar to the coastguard in some other countries. Launches police all territorial waters outside the harbour, amounting to 700 square miles, with a total of 28 sea patrol launches being engaged in this task.
Patrol launches visit outlying islands and isolated com- munities and frequently engage in search-and-rescue opera- tions. In 1976 1,230 requests for police assistance were received and 338 casualty evacuations carried out. A primary role of the division, however, is combatting illegal immigration and the importation of narcotics. In conducting operations, close liaison is maintained with Royal Navy and Army units who provide assistance from time to time.
Approximately 4,000 pleasure craft frequent the waters, mainly at weekends and on public holidays - occasionally losing their way, straying into Chinese waters, breaking down or creating a hazard to swimmers, and so requiring frequent police attention.
Islands Division
Islands Division embraces Lantau Island - which is the largest in the territory, being almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island - and numerous other islands in western waters. The divisional headquarters is located at Cheung Sha, south Lantau, and there are three sub-divisions Tai O and Mui Wo on Lantau and Cheung Chau Island, south of Lantau. Additionally, there are police posts at Shek Pik on Lantau, Peng Chau Island to the west, and Lamma Island to the south of Hong Kong Island.
Two major prisons are located on Lantau, at Chi Ma Wan and Ma Po Ping, together with a detention centre at Sha Tsui. West of Cheung Chau Island, at Shek Kwu Chau, there is a drug rehabilitation centre, while further centres are located at Tong Fuk on Lantau and Hei Ling Chau Island. Apart from the occasional escapes these institutions pose few problems for the Police, but are nevertheless the subject of surveillance, and close liaison with the prison authorities is maintained.
The police role is basically of a rural nature, but holiday crowds and important festivals require close attention. In order to cope with the influx of people using the recrea- tional facilities, it became necessary to reorganise the village patrol system by the formation in July of six rural area
警水
ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE
H
POLIC
Marine Police officers distribute crime prevention advice leaflets to a fisherman and his family.
patrols. The patrols are manned by officers specially selected because of their physical fitness and aptitude and preference for outdoor life.
Under the auspices of the Police Adventure Training Unit, all members of the rural area patrols have received training in map-reading, search-and-rescue, orienteering and rope work. As well as mounting search-and-rescue operations and giving advice to hikers and campers, the patrols provide a visible presence, maintain law and order in remote areas, prevent and detect crime, and mount search operations for escaped prisoners when required.
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