192. Alouette helicopters, piloted by Royal Air Force and Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force Officers and carrying personnel of the Auxiliary Police Air Observer Squadron, gave most valuable service. Apart from operational missions, Colony familiarization flights were arranged for many officers and Rank & File of the Force.
HONG KONG AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE
193. The Auxiliary Police Force in its present form is a voluntary organization formed in 1959 when conscription was abolished and the Police Reserve and Special Constabulary were amalgamated. A wide cross-section of the community is represented among its members who devote eight hours a month and fourteen days a year to the performance of police duty and training.
194. The Force is commanded by the Commissioner who has a regular headquarter unit to implement his policies on matters pertaining to administration and training. The senior auxiliary officer is the Comman- dant, holding the rank of a Senior Assistant Commissioner. Auxiliary ranks correspond with those of the regular Force. Recruiting drives throughout the year enabled the Force strength to reach its establishment of 2,437 all ranks.
195. The Auxiliaries assist and augment the regular Force both in routine duties and particularly in times of emergency when they are fully integrated. In addition to supplying contingents at each urban division, the Auxiliaries also provide an Emergency Unit, an Escort Company and a Communications Unit both in Hong Kong and Kowloon Districts. There is, as yet, no auxiliary unit in the New Territories although plan- ning for a division at Tsuen Wan commenced during the year.
196. Specialist auxiliary units include the Marine division whose members are trained to take over Police harbour launches, and the Air Observer Squadron which supplies qualified observers to accompany aircraft of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force. The Auxiliaries also supply Staff Officers at both Colony and District Headquarters.
197. For the first time in its history, the Force now has serving female members and 50 women auxiliary Police officers are now employed in communication duties at District Control Rooms. Recruiting will con- tinue until an establishment of 150 women auxiliaries is reached.
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