is now responsible for managing a fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles.
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KWONG HING BOOK STO
MODEL SHOP
SALES AND SERVICES
PANTE HOUSE
Hong Kong: Its signs, its people, its hustle and its bustle -- and
part of its Police Force's fleet of mobile patrol vehicles.
The Police Driving School trained 802 officers during the year, excluding 846 officers who attended conversion courses. The courses of instruction are initial, in-service and advanced for a variety of vehicles, and the effectiveness of instruction is reflected in accident statistics which show an average of almost 18,000 miles an accident, or 36,000 miles an accident for those accidents attributable to police driver error.
As a general statement, the present scope of Branch activities, and the projected work programme for the next five years, are beyond the capabilities of the existing structure. It has, therefore, been recommended that the Branch be reinforced in the areas of both middle-manage- ment and technical staff support.
Police Tactical Unit
The Police Tactical Unit, based at Volunteer Slopes in Fanling, provides the Commissioner with an immediate reserve of manpower for use in any emergency. The unit also fulfills an important training role by providing in- struction in up-to-date internal security tactics for all ranks, from Constable to Superintendent.
During the year the unit trained eight companies, totalling 1,344 men, in all aspects of internal security work and crowd control duties. Following this 12-week training course, each company returned to the police district from
which it was formed to undergo an 18-week operational attachment under the command of the Police District Commander. During this attachment the 'Blue Berets', as they have become popularly known, performed wide variety of duties ranging from crowd control meetings, football matches and sponsored charity walks, to crime prevention and detection.
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Following the district attachment, during which the companies continue to form part of the Commissioner's reserve, each company disbands and all ranks return to their parent formations. In addition to the company training, a total of 294 women police officers were trained in crowd control duties.
Also under the command of the PTU Commandant is the Special Duties Unit, a highly-trained group which forms part of the Force's counter-terrorist capability.
The Armoured Personnel Carrier (Saracen) Unit, also at the PTU, comprises 14 Saracen armoured personnel carriers which are used in emergencies ranging from natural disasters to internal security operations.
Police Dog Unit
Police dogs and their handlers are attached to a number of police stations where they are deployed in a wide variety of tasks. The unit has 63 dogs - Alsatians, Weimaraners and Labradors. In addition to anti-crime patrols, they are used as trackers, and for the detection of narcotics. During 1977 handlers and their dogs were responsible for 54 arrests for offences. The dogs also have a well-acknowledged preventive role.
The main base of the unit is housed in the former Ping Shan police station in the New Territories. The head- quarters not only handles the administration of the unit, but also provides basic and refresher training courses for dogs and their handlers.
Dogs from the unit continued to compete successfully against Army dogs, and those entered by civilians, in obedience trials organised by the Hong Kong Kennel Club. Dogs from the unit also gave a number of demonstrations for the general public, and a demonstration team was established during the year to cater for the increasing demands in this area.
In November the Police Dogmaster attended an Interna- tional Narcotic Detector Dog Conference organised by the American Customs Service in Singapore.
Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force
The Auxiliary Force has an establishment of 5,000. It acts in support of, and in real terms as an integral part of, the regular Force.
Day-to-day, Auxiliary officers work alongside their regular colleagues in maintaining law and order. Similarly, in an emergency, when the Commissioner may order mobilisation of the Auxiliary Force, its members provide valuable support in an internal security posture.
The command structure is similar to that of the regular Force, and of course there are women Auxiliaries as well. There are 28 formations: 14 land divisions; four emergency units; five special duty companies; two marine divisions; a communications division; a traffic formation; and a 25-piece band.
During the year a daily average of 838 Auxiliary officers performed regular constabulary duties. They provided
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