ENG-1956 — Page 232

LAW AND ORDER

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of 5,773, an increase of 416 since 1955, consisting of 57 gazetted officers, 478 inspectors and 5,238 rank and file. On the same date the Force had a civilian staff of 944 for the performance of clerical duties and other non-police tasks.

Apart from the regular Police Force and its civilian staff, there are two Auxiliary forces: the Police Reserve, a volun- teer force founded pre-war with membership wholly Chinese, and the Special Constabulary. The latter force is composed of a variety of nationalities and its members include volun- teers and conscripts, with the same sort of obligations for camps and training as other members of the Auxiliary Defence Services, described in Chapter 17. The Auxiliary Police assist the regular police in time of emergency and on public occasions where large crowds have to be handled. Basic training in law and general police duties is provided for all auxiliaries, and some are also trained for duties in the Marine Division, and the Communications and Transport Branch. As part of their training the Auxiliary Police at regular intervals have for 24 hours at a time taken over the routine watch and ward duties of the Regular Force. The combined strength of both units is 1,745 officers and men, with 590 in the Reserve and 1,155 in the Special Con- stabulary. The Auxiliary Police are now well established and they have proved their real usefulness to the Force on many occasions.

The Police Force also receives a further form of

support and assistance from village guards or constables in the more remote New Territories villages. These men, who are elected by the villagers themselves, have given most valuable as- sistance to the Regular Force and their importance derives not least from their service as a link between the village community as a whole and the Police.

Training. With the exception of women police recruits, who do 14 weeks initial training, all ranks undergo a period of six months' training at the Police Training School, Aber-