TNAG-1474-FCO40-2005-Visits-by-MPs-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 38

GINAHY

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THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE (RHKP)

1.

The RHKP, with a strength of 24,000 full-time and 5,000

part-time Officers already possess an effective capability to

control internal security (IS) situations.

2.

For IS operations the RHKP have some 33 formed companies

(each of 170 men) able to turn out at short notice. By 1991,

expansion of the force purely for normal policing purposes will have raised the IS capability to 41 companies. (All policemen receive IS

training and are regularly rotated through the Police Tactical Units (PTU) to retain proficiency.) Each of the riot companies form 4

platoons (of 60 men). There are also 72 Light Striking Forces (each

of 22 men), 444 patrols (of 8 men) and 5 Special Duty Corps (each of

122 auxiliaries). This means that approximately 10,000 policemen

can be mobilised for IS duties and, by working 12 hr shifts, it

would be possible to deploy 5,000 policemen continuously on

streets. This would

normal police duties.

situation.

the

be in addition to the officers employed on

The RHKP has 14 Saracens for use in an IS

3.

The number of policemen employed on a daily basis to deal

exclusively with illegal immigration (II) work is about 700. The Marine police also operate about 44 boats on daily patrols (out of a

total fleet of 100 police vessels). About 80% of illegal immigrants

are apprehended on land and, though numbers fluctuate on a

seasonal basis,

about 1,000 IIS are captured each month. underlying trend is upwards; consequently, despite the additional

fence constructed by the Chinese North of the Shenzhen special

economic zone the number of undiscovered IIS in Hong kong is increasing.

4.

The

Though the police should be able to contain the likely IS

threat without expansion or assistance, the same is not true of border operations. Initial planning suggests that 4 additional PTU companies (each of 175 men) will be required to take over the land border commitment from the Army. Recruiting and training must be accomplished alongside the police expansion which is currently taking place. Nevertheless, it would appear that a partial handover

could begin in the 1990-92 timeframe.

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