4. Government's building programme gives Police needs high priority. During the year a new Divisional Station was completed at Kwun Tong, a Marine Police Operational Base at Tai Po Kau and the second stage of the New Police Training School near Aberdeen. A second Marine Base at Tai Lam was also nearing completion. The coming year should see the completion of two more Divisional Stations and a further Marine Base.
5. As with buildings so with men, the Police cannot fall behind their commitment to maintain law and order in all parts of the Colony. Recruitment was for most of the year well below the desired level. Government authorized an increased Police allowance effective from the 1st of January and a new Recruiting Team was formed which has gone all out to attract suitable recruits. By the end of the year under review the Police Training School was full and it is planned to recruit to the capacity of the School for at least the next two years in order to fill the authorized establishment of personnel.
6. There were no major disturbances during the year.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE POLICE
Shooting at Lam Tsuen Valley, Taipo
7. On the 24th May, 1964 a villager murdered an off-duty Police Corporal by shooting him with a shotgun. The villager then held a large Police party off for almost 7 hours before he was finally shot dead. During this operation a Police Superintendent and Constable were killed while 4 Inspectors and 7 other ranks were wounded.
Typhoons
8. A record number of typhoons struck the Colony during the year involv- ing the Police in long hours of extra duty. In Typhoon Ida on the 8th August, heavy rains caused a severe landslide above the Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate. Thousands of tons of mud were washed down the hillside from a site formation area. Four persons living in wooden huts in the area were killed and one block of the resettlement estate had to be temporarily evacuated.
9. In Typhoon Ruby on the 5th September a police Landrover travelling to the Tate's Cairn post was blown down the hillside. A Police Constable was killed and three other persons injured.
Major Fires
10. The turn of the year saw a number of major fires resulting in consider- able damage although fortunately small loss of life. The area worst affected was the Sham Shui Po area of Kowloon district.
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