XN000022-1988-05-19 — Page 17

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NEW VANS FOR POLICE FORCE

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THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1988

THE FIRST OF A NEW FLEET OF SHERPA MEDIUM VANS IN A THREE-YEAR $30 MILLION VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME HAVE BEEN DELIVERED ΤΟ ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE.

THE

THEY ARE NOW UNDERGOING MODIFICATIONS PRIOR TO GOING ON THE ROADS IN EYE CATCHING CONSPICUITY LIVERY.

THE 32 BRITISH LEYLAND-BUILT SHERPAS ARE PART OF A CONSIGNMENT OF 325 VANS WHICH WILL ВЕ PHASED IN GRADUALLY ΤΟ UPDATE AND STANDARDISE FORCE VAN REQUIREMENTS.

THE SHERPAS WILL REPLACE THE MEDIUM GENERAL PURPOSE VEHICLES; LAND ROVERS; AND THE FORCE "WORKHORSE" TRANSIT VEHICLES; AND WHEN MODIFIED UNDERTAKE TASKS NOW PERFORMED BY ALL THREE.

THE POLICE MOTOR TRANSPORT OFFICER, MR IAN STENTON, EXPLAINED: "THE NEW MEDIUM VANS WILL AFFECT NEARLY EVERYBODY IN THE FORCE.

"THEY WILL ALLOW ALL STATIONS TO BETTER PLAN AND MANAGE THEIR FLEETS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE COMPLETELY INTER-CHANGEABLE.

"THE DAYS OF CONCENTRATING CERTAIN VEHICLES то SPECIAL TASKS WILL BE OVER.

F

THE SHERPA WAS CHOSEN FOR 1TS MULTI-PURPOSE ROLE AFTER WORKSHOPS INSPECTIONS OF THE CURRENT VEHICLES AND CONSULTATIONS WITH FORMATIONS.

MR STENTON SAID THE LAND ROVER WAS RAPIDLY

1 NOPERABLE FOR MODERN DAY URBAN USAGE.

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BECOMING

THE **BREAD OUT HAWKER PERSONNEL

THE MEDIUM GENERAL PURPOSE VAN, KNOWN COMMONLY AS VAN" WAS UNDER-UTILISED SINCE THE POLICE CEASED CARRYING CONTROL DUTIES. THE VANS WERE NOT PARTICULARLY DESIGNED FOR CARRYING. THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE AND HAD ONLY LIMITED VIEW FOR PASSENGERS.

MANY OF THE TRANSIT PATROL VEHICLES WERE ALSO COMING то THE INDS OF THEIR WORKING LIVES.

M12 STENTON SAID THERE WOULD BE SOME EXCEPTIONS IN REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING VEHICLES.

THE

IN FRONTIER, MARINE

THE LAND ROVER WOULD CONTINUE TO BE USED ISLANDS, SAI KUNG AND OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE IT COULD BE USEFUL.

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*IN OUR CONSULTATIONS WE LOOKED TO SEE WHAT WOULD GIVE US THE OPTIMUM VEHICLE TO POLICE ALL THE DUTIES PERFORMED BY THE EXISTING THREE TYPES, SAID MR STENTON.

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WE EVENTUALLY