XN000022-1988-08-14 — Page 13

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 1988

EQUIPPED WITH FULL RIOT GEAR OF MASKS, HELMETS, RATTEN SHIELDS, SMOKE PISTOLS, SHOTGUNS AND RIFLES, FOUR COLUMNS OF KHAKI - DRESSED OFFICERS SPILLED FROM FOUR APC'S AND IMMEDIATELY FORMED A BATTLE ARRAY. IN SECTIONS OF EIGHT AND FOUR COLUMNS DEEP, THE PLATOON STOOD ON GUARD OPPOSITE IMAGINARY RIOTERS.

FOLLOWED BY THE FOUR IRON-PACKED MONSTERS, THE "SMOKE SECTION" AND THE "BATON SECTION" CAME TO THE FRONT LINE, SIMULATED THE LOADING OF SHELLS IN THE BREECHES OF THEIR GUNS AND ADVANCED.

THE EXERCISE, A MUST FOR EVERY INTAKE AT THE PTU, IS AIMED AT MAKING THE OFFICERS EXPERT IN USING THE ARMOURED CARS то SET UP ROADBLOCKS AND TO SURROUND SUSPECTED TARGETS IN CASE OF INTERNAL UNREST.

ONE OF THE SAXONS, WAS AN ARMOURED COMMAND VEHICLE WITH DBSK SPACE INCLUDED IN THE INTERNAL CONFIGURATION. THE REMAINING THREE WERE PERSONNEL CARRIERS CAPABLE OF CARRYING 10 OFFICERS, PLUS DRIVER AND COMMANDER.

ALL VEHICLES HAVE RADIO INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS. THEY ARE ALSO EQUIPPED WITH DETACHABLE TURRETS WITH SMOKE GRENADE LAUNCHERS.

OFFICERS OF THE PTU BETTER KNOWN AS THE "BLUE BERETS" ARB NO STRANGERS TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. SINCE THE UNIT WAS FORMED IN 1968 FROM THE OLD POLICE TRAINING CONTINGENT WHICH HELPED QUELL THE 1967 RIOTERS, THE HIGHLY MOBILISED BLITE FORMATION HAS SHOULDERED A WIDE RANGE OF COMMITMENTS SUCH AS CROWD CONTROL AT FOOTBALL MATCHES AND RACE MEETINGS, KEEPING THE PEACE DURING SQUATTER AND OTHER CLEARANCE OPERATIONS AND CARRYING OUT ANTI-CRIME AND ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS.

ITS OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN TACKLING THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE RIOTS AT KAJ TAK NORTH CAMP IN 1982 AND INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE TAXI STRIKE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HARBOUR IN 1984 НАЯ PROVED BEYOND DOUBT THAT THE UNIT FULFILS THE ROLE OF THE FORCE "TROUBLE-SHOOTERS".

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THE PTU HAS AN ESTABLISHMENT OF SIX COMPANIES

MEN 1,020 AND PROVIDES AN IMMEDIATE RESERVE OF MANPOWER FOR USE IN AN EMERGENCY. ALL THE TRAINEES FROM THE RANKS OF CONSTABLE TO SUPERINTENDENT ARE DRAWN IN ROTATION FROM VARIOUS DISTRICTS WHO SERVE FOR 30 WEEKS WITH THE UNIT 10 WEEKS TRAINING IN FANLING BASE AND 20 WEEKS IN A DISTRICT.

AT ANY ONE TIME, TWO COMPANIES ARE UNDER TRAINING AT THE PTU BASE AND FOUR COMPANIES ARE ON REGIONAL ATTACHMENT TWO IN KOWLOON, ONE ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND ONE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

/IT IS