ORDINANCE No. 12 OF 1844 . 45
Police Force Regulation .
No. 12 of 1844.
An Ordinance for the establishment and regulation of a Police Force in Title.
the Colony of Hongkong.
[ 1st May, 1844. ]
HEREAS it is expedient that provision should be made for establishing an Preamble.
W effective system of police, within the Colony of Hongkong : Be it enacted, Governor to ap
point Chief
that it shall, and may be lawful for His Excellency the Governor of Hongkong, to marine and
assistant Magis
nominate, and appoint a proper person to be Chief Magistrate of Police, throughout trates and Super
intendent of
Police & c.
the Colony of Hongkong, who shall reside in the town of Victoria, and shall be
charged, and invested, with the general direction , and superintendence of the Force
to be established under this Ordinance, and to appoint from time to time, fit and
proper persons to be respectively marine, and assistant Magistrates, and Superintendents
of Police, under the said Chief Magistrate, and proper persons to be clerks in the
office of such Chief Magistrate, and every such marine, and assistant Magistrates, and
Superintendent of Police, shall on his appointment to such office, forthwith take before
any two Justices of the Peace at Hongkong, the oaths required to be taken by Justices Oaths to be
taken.
of the Peace in Hongkong aforesaid , and also the oath hereinafter contained, and shall
thereupon become and be, without further qualification or appointment, and continue
so long as they shall hold the said offices, but no longer, Justices of the Peace for the
Colony of Hongkong.
"I do swear that I will well and truly serve our Oath.
"Sovereign Lady the Queen in the office of Chief or assistant, or marine Magistrate,
"or Superintendent of Police (as the case may be) " without favor, or affection , malice,
" or ill-will, that I will see and cause Her Majesty's peace to be kept, and preserved
"and that I will prevent, to the best of my power, all offences against the same,
" and that while I shall continue to hold the said office , I will to the best of my skill
" and knowledge discharge all the duties thereof faithfully according to law, so help
"" me God."
And no person appointed under this Ordinance , to be Chief, or assistant, or marine
Magistrate, or Superintentent of Police, shall be capable of holding the said office, or
of acting in any way therein, until he shall take and subscribe the above oath, and the
said oath shall be administered by any two Justices of the Peace at Hongkong, and
such Justices shall forthwith give to the person taking the same a certificate thereof
under their hands, such certificate to be forwarded to the Governor of the said Colony ,
or to such person as he shall appoint.
2. And be it enacted, that a sufficient number of fit and able men shall from time Policemen
appointed to
to time be appointed by the Governor, as a Police Force for the whole of the Colony of have power of
constubies.
Hongkong, who shall be sworn in by the Chief or assistant Magistrates , to act as
constables for preserving the peace, and preventing robberies, and other felonies, and
apprehending offenders against the peace, and the men so sworn in shall have all such