Hong Kong policemen at the turn of the century.
of Sikh recruits arrived and by 1876 Hong Kong had the biggest police force in the world in proportion to its population.
By the turn of the century the police force was a fully efficient unit well in control of law and order.
Today there are more than three and three- quarter million people and the Police Force has kept in step.
Through the years the scope of its activities. has widened. A C.I.D. branch came into being. Women police made their appearance in 1951. Nowadays there is an Anti-Narcotics Branch, a Special Branch and Traffic and Training branches.
In the two world wars the Force made its contribution in life and self-sacrifice. A total of 132 officers died in action or in prison camps. In 1914 many Hong Kong policemen served in the Armed Forces and in the last war the police force became a militia and helped defend the Colony.
Peacetime has also taken its toll. Since 1946, 62 officers of all ranks have died on duty.
And so to today, the Force which started off with a humble band of 32 now has 11,140 officers and men and all the specialist depart- ments associated with a modern police organi- sation. That is progress indeed for the force that was once known as Caine's errand men.
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