XN000022-1986-02-16 — Page 6

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1986

HIGH STANDARDS SET FOR SECURITY GUARDS

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ARMED SECURITY GUARDS ARE A FAMILIAR SIGHT ON THE STREETS OF HONG KONG. THEY GUARD BANKS AND JEWELLERY SHOPS AND CARRY CASH- IN-TRANSIT. AND MANY OF THEM CARRY HIGH-CALIBRE SHOTGUNS, AS WELL.

HOW SAFE IS THIS FOR THE MAN-IN-THE-STREET WHO HAS NO CRIMINAL INTENT AND WHO UNWITTINGLY FINDS HIMSELF AT THE SCENE OF A ROBBERY?

ACCORDING TO POLICE, SOME 2 300 WATCHMEN ATTEND SHOOTING TESTS AT POLICE FIRING RANGES EACH YEAR IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE LICENCE WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO CARRY FIREARMS ON DUTY,

THE TESTS ARE STRINGENT, MANDATORY, AND MUST BE RE-TAKEN EVERY 12 MONTHS.

''HIGH STANDARDS ARE LAID DOWN IN THESE TESTS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WATCHMEN ARE FROM A MUCH LESS-DISCIPLINED FORCE THAN WE ARE," SAID STATION SERGEANT CHAN WING-KEUNG, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE SHOOTING RANGE AT MOUNT BUTLER.

HE SAID THAT EACH WATCHMAN MUST DEMONSTRATE A SOUND KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN HANDLING HIS WEAPON BEFORE A LICENCE FOR POSSESSION

(WATCHMAN), IS GRANTED.

THE TEST IS IN TWO PARTS AND IS CONDUCTED BY RANGE POLICE OFFICERS WITH WIDE EXPERIENCE IN FIREARMS AND SHOOTING.

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SAID STATION SERGEANT CHAN : ''EACH WATCHMAN IS FIRST TESTED WHICH ON THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE USE OF FORCE AND FIREARMS INCLUDES JUDGEMENT, WHEN TO OPEN FIRE, WHEN NOT TO OPEN FIRE, SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND THE CARE OF WEAPONS.

'HE THEN HAS TO DEMONSTRATE THE PROCEDURES FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING AND DRY-FIRING, SO THAT THE EXAMINER CAN ASSESS HOW WELL HE HANDLES HIS WEAPON.

A MANUAL ON THE USE OF FIREARMS, COMPILED BY THE POLICE LICENSING OFFICE, IS GIVEN TO THE WATCHMEN WHEN THEY SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS.

THOSE WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL AT THE THEORY AND HANDLING INTERVIEW WILL THEN TAKE PART IN AN ACTUAL SHOOTING TEST WHERE THE EMPHASIS

IS ON ACCURACY.

''THEY MUST SCORE THE NECESSARY PASS MARK," SGT CHAN ASSURED, ADDING THAT THE POLICE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THIS AND MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT MOST ARMED WATCHMEN ARE WORKING IN CROWDED AREAS,

HE POINTED OUT THAT POLICEMEN AND ARMED WATCHMEN MUST OBSERVE THE SAME REGULATIONS ON THE USE OF FIREARMS.

THEY KNOW