ENG-1982 — Page 203

PUBLIC ORDER

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The Force Inspection Wing commenced operations at the beginning of the year to inspect all branches and formations. Three inspection teams, each commanded by a chief superintendent and staffed by very experienced police and civilian officers, carried out regular inspections to ensure that policies and priorities were being implemented and that formations were adequately staffed and supported. Each inspection took from two to five weeks, with inspection for the whole force taking about 30 months.

The Marine Expansion Wing, formed in late 1980 to oversee and co-ordinate the 10-year expansion programme for the Marine Region, was disbanded in August 1982 having completed its task. During its existence it laid the groundwork for the building of a new Marine Police Regional Headquarters, new divisional bases, the provision of an expanded and modernised fleet, and the creation of a specialist support group for fleet management.

The expansion of the New Territories Police Region continued during the year to cope with the rapid increase in population in the New Territories which is expected to reach two million by 1987.

The strength of the Mass Transit Railway Division was increased to 194 officers of all ranks in May to police the Tsuen Wan Extension Line of the Mass Transit Railway. Forward planning continued during the year to ascertain policing needs for the Hong Kong Island Line.

Buildings and Development

To ensure the timely provision of resources to meet force commitments, the Planning and Development Branch is responsible for the collection, collation and co-ordination of all forward planning activity.

The five year timetable, approved in 1981, for the construction of more than 40 new police buildings was revised and up-dated during the year. The building programme includes district and divisional stations, most of which will be constructed in association with the development of new towns, as well as marine, recreational and specialist facilities. Much progress has also been achieved in the programme to modernise older police stations and a further 12 of these will be renovated and improved over the next 12 months. Extensive building works are on-going at the Police Training School and similar plans. to improve and expand the Police Tactical Unit Camp in the New Territories are to be implemented.

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Progress continued during the year on the provision of quarters for married junior police officers. Additional sites for future construction have been identified and tenders already let for the construction of 500 new units. To meet immediate requirements 1 200 quarters were purchased for allocation to married junior personnel. Work on two recreational facilities, one in Kowloon and one on Hong Kong Island for police officers, civilian staff and their families, will start early next year.

The Communications and Transport Branch, which is responsible for the management of the force vehicle fleet and the provision, maintenance and development of the communi- cations network, undertook several major projects during the year. Among these were the provision of a radio system for the extended Mass Transit Railway and the ordering of equipment for a maritime radio system to be used jointly by the police and the Royal Navy. Replacements, additions and alteration work to existing communications systems continued; of particular significance were plans to extend the beat radio system to cover the fast developing areas in the New Territories. A firm of consulting engineers was engaged to assist in these projects.