XN000022-1989-12-03 — Page 4

شيا

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1989

SOME VISITORS WANT TO GO FAST, SOME PREFER A SLOW RIDE OR WANT TO SEE CERTAIN SIGHTS EN ROUTE. SOME PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR MINDS AT THE LAST MINUTES. SOME VIP'S ONLY WANT TO GO SHOPPING.

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1986

FOR

"THE GROUP WAS FORMED AS A SPECIALIST ESCORT TEAM IN THE VISIT OF PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, MR HILLIER SAID. "BEFORE THEN IT WAS JUST AN AD HOC ARRANGEMENT MADE AS OCCASIONS DEMANDED.'

THERE ARE NOW THREE TEAMS OF MOTOR CYCLISTS AND SUPPORT STAFF DRAWN FROM TRAFFIC WING PERSONNEL IN ALL THREE LAND REGIONS.

THEY MOBILISE AT SHORT NOTICE TO DEAL WITH SECURITY AND VIP VISITS TO HONG KONG.

SINCE THEY WERE FORMED AS AN OFFICIAL FORCE GROUP THEY HAVE ESCORTED SUCH NOTABILITIES AS MR CASPAR WEINBERGER, MR GEORGE SCHULTZ, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND MRS CORAZON AQUINO.

MR HILLIER IS THE OPERATIONAL OFFICER, HIS SECOND IN COMMAND MR KEITH DRYDEN IS THE PLANNER.

MR DRYDEN, CHIEF STAFF

INSPECTOR,

OPERATIONS, TRAFFIC, KOWLOON WEST, SAID: "MY JOB IS TO ENSURE A SECURE PACKAGE AT ALL POINTS OF THE JOURNEY. I LOOK FOR THE RIGHT ROAD CONDITIONS THE BEST WAY OF GETTING FROM ONE POINT TO ANOTHER.

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AND

ESCORT GROUP OFFICERS ALSO MOVE AHEAD AND BEHIND VIP CONVOYS TO CLOSE OFF JUNCTIONS AND OPEN THEM AGAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER A MOTORCADE HAS PASSED.

SUCH EVENTUALITIES AS SICKNESS EN ROUTE ARE COVERED PERSONALITIES BEING ESCORTED MAY BE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL BY THE AND MOST CONVENIENT ROUTE. THEY ARE ALSO GEARED TO CHANGE EN ROUTE.

SO THAT SHORTEST DIRECTION

THE FORCE ESCORT GROUP IS ALSO PREPARED TO SPLIT ITS FUNCTIONS, IT DID DURING THE RECENT ROYAL VISIT. то PROVIDE TWO SEPARATE ESCORTS AT THE SAME TIME.

AS

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FIRST CUSTOM MADE POLICE MOTOR CYCLE TO THE FORCE WAS MADE WITH THE POLICE ESCORT GROUP IN MIND.

"OUR NEW FLEET OF MOTOR CYCLES ARE EXCELLENT MACHINES," MR HILLIER SAID. "THEIR MAIN ASSET TS QUICK ACCELERATION AND A LOW STALLING GEAR.

"YOU CAN DRIVE AT SLOW AND SUSTAINED SPEEDS IN CEREMONIAL EVENTS. THE MACHINE IS VERY STABLE WITH NO HANDLING PROBLEMS. THEY CAN SPEED A VIP TO AN URGENT FUNCTION AS WELL AS ATTEND A FUNERAL.

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