MONDAY, JUNE 11, 1979
THE VOLUNTEERS CALLED OUT ON REGULAR BORDER PATROL DUTIES
******
THE GOVERNOR HAS APPROVED A LIMITED CALL OUT OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT (THE VOLUNTEERS) TO ASSIST THE SECURITY FORCES IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS.
THE CALL OUT WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM SATURDAY (JUNE 16).
ALTHOUGH THE VOLUNTEERS ALREADY PROVIDE TWO SQUADRONS FOR BORDER PATROLS AS PART OF THE GURKHA FIELD FORCE AT WEEKENDS, FROM SATURDAY (JUNE 16) THE 5 SQUADRONS OF THE VOLUNTEERS WILL IN TURN PROVIDE REGULAR PATROLS OF THE BORDER AREAS.
EACH SQUADRON COMPRISES ABOUT 90 OFFICERS AND MEN AND WILL SPEND THREE OUT OF EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS ON DUTY DEPLOYED IN AREAS DESIGNATED BY THE COMMANDER GURKHA FIELD FORCE.
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR. LEWIS DAVIES, SAID THAT THE ADDITIONAL MANPOWER WHICH THIS CALL OUT REPRESENTED WAS MOST WELCOME, IT INDICATED THE INCREASING MANPOWER WHICH WAS BEING DEPLOYED TO ENSURE A HIGH LEVEL OF ARREST OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, HE SAID HE WAS WRITING TO THE CIVILIAN EMPLOYERS OF MEMBERS OF THE VOLUNTEERS NOTIFYING THEM OF THE DECISION AND SEEKING THE IR CO-OPERATION IN RELEASING THE IR STAFF FOR THIS IMPORTANT DUTY.
MR. DAVIES SAID THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE VOLUNTEERS IN ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT OPERATIONS WILL BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW.
AT PRESENT, FOUR BATTALIONS OF THE GARRISON AS WELL AS ABOUT 2,000 OFFICERS FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE ARE ENGAGED IN ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT OPERATIONS.
2