TNAG-0083-FCO40-119-Police-Adviser-s-reports-1968 — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL

manufactured) are the best I have seen in any Overseas Police Force and details were obtained and will be available for any other Force seeking advice on Riot Control equipment. It is intended to provide the Crown Agents with details of the helmet. During my visit, the question of Greener gun cartridges was raised. The Hong Kong Police obtained cartridges supplied under licence by an Italian firm, The shot is heavier than the standard Greener cartridge and there have been fatalities inflicted by Greener gun fire. I will likewise take this up with the Crown Agents.

(7) C.I.D.

I spent an afternoon in company with the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mr. N.G. Rolph, visiting all sections of his Branch, including Central Office, Forensic Science Laboratory, Ballistics and Bomb Disposal Section, Juvenile Section and the Narcotics Bureau. This specialist branch of the Force is highly organised, comprehensive in its capacity to deal with all types of

sophisticated crime and the calibre of the officers serving in the Branch is high.

There can be few Overseas Police Forces with a comparable crime investigation potential.

(8) Special Branch

I met Mr. B.F. Slevin, Director of Special Branch at a number of Security meetings and was very fully briefed by his two senior assistants, Messrs. Richardson and Harknett.

Here too, I was most impressed with the organisation and capability of the Branch, which again must be one of the most sophisticated and effective in the Commonwealth.

This may sound like high praise indeed but I am confident that my assessment is shared by all who deal with the Hong Kong Special Branch. The foundations were laid by the previous Director of Special Branch, Mr. Prendergast, and have been most ably maintained and expanded by Mr. Slevin and his staff.

(9) Force Transport

A proposal was made sone two years ago that the Force, which has a transport pool of 618 vehicles, with a further 83 vehicles on order, should have its own independent workshops, thus obviating the risk of civilian mechanical personnel going on strike in emergency conditions.

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