POLICE N91
Patrols on launches like this vary from eight hours to three days in duration.
The Marine Police District is made up of 750 square miles of Colony waters and outlying islands and includes one of the world's busiest ports. There are 20,000 local small craft to control with a maritime population in the region of 150,000.
For those who have served in the Royal Navy or Merchant Navy or have a natural interest in small craft, the Marine District is an obvious choice.
The life has much to offer. There is con- siderable responsibility. Launch patrols vary from eight hours to three days.
The maritime community is one of the most interesting sections of the Chinese population and is the least affected by modern influences. The junk, besides being a means of earning a living, is also the family home.
The Marine Police fleet consists of two new steel-hulled patrol launches of 250 g.t., two high speed diesel patrol launches, ten 70 ft. launches, twelve 45 ft. harbour launches, and miscellaneous small craft, including jet-pro- pelled high-speed craft and small motor boats. All launches are equipped with radio and patrol launches also have radar.
Three Police Stations and three posts on the outlying islands are manned by Marine Police. The stations are commanded by a Sub-Divi- sional Inspector. The District is commanded. by an Assistant Commissioner with a Senior Superintendent as second in command. It has an establishment of 2 Superintendents, one Chief Inspector, 11 Senior Inspectors, 45 Inspectors and 962 other ranks.
Communications and Transport
Fast and efficient communications are essen- tial in any modern law enforcement organization and Hong Kong's four Police Districts each have their own radio control centre, manned 24 hours a day.
On land, communications are maintained with radio patrol cars-53 in Hong Kong, 55 in Kowloon and 31 in the New Territories.
The Marine District Control is in constant contact with harbour launches and patrol boats in the outlying waters and with Marine Stations and posts on the islands and the New Territories.
Nerve centre of operations is Colony Headquarters Control, on Hong Kong island. It is constantly manned by a skeleton staff and in times of emergency, such as typhoons, major disasters or civil disturbances, the control and operations rooms are fully manned.
In times of civil disturbance, Colony and District Operations rooms are expanded and Military and Government Liaison Officers are brought in so that all activities can be co- ordinated.
The Force is equipped with 238 fixed, 338 mobile, and 69 portable VHF radio stations. There is an emergency HF network for com- munications with cruising launches. From the Colony Control a 24-hours-a-day teleprinter system operates to the main Police Stations.
The Force transport fleet consists of 652 vehicles of many types. In 1966 the fleet travelled 5,880,968 miles.
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