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LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS
dormitory buildings at the Police Training School, Aberdeen have made it possible for women recruits to be in residence and so take a full part in the life of the school. Women police have the same training as men recruits and can undertake all police duties but they are especially useful in dealing with women and children.
A team of women NCO's and constables is attached to the traffic branch to control meter parking spaces in the central areas and for point duty at busy junctions and thoroughfares at peak periods. Women officers also took part in other work such as anti- narcotics and in the juvenile liaison section, and they worked alongside the men controlling queues at water stand-pipes.
The Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force supports and reinforces the regular police in emergencies of all kinds. Its establishment of 2,277 men is made up of 28 gazetted officers, 164 junior officers and 2,085 non-commissioned officers and police constables. It is commanded by the Commissioner of Police, assisted by the Commandant, who is an auxiliary assistant commissioner. It was created in 1957 by a merger of the Hong Kong Police Reserve and the Special Constabulary. In August 1961 compulsory service was abandoned in Hong Kong. The strength of the unit initially dropped to 1,301 but efforts to recruit new auxiliaries since then have raised the strength to 1,651 on 31st December 1963.-
When mobilized the auxiliaries are completely integrated with the regular force and each of the nine auxiliary land divisions operates as part of its parent regular division. Auxiliary emergency units operate in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon districts in support of their regular colleagues, and marine auxiliaries assist in manning craft of the regular marine division. The duties of the force are varied. The helicopter observer squadron, a sub-unit of marine division, has no regular counterpart and the duties and training of this unit are carried out by auxiliary police personnel themselves, with the assistance of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. The auxiliaries also supply additional staff officers and communications personnel at Colony, district and divisional head- quarters in emergencies. Emergency escort units are also provided by them in the two urban districts.
The recruit auxiliary police constable starts off with basic part- time training in law, drill and weapons at auxiliary headquarters. He is then posted to the division or unit of his choice. Thereafter