The Hong Kong Police Force (香港警察) (from 1969 to 1997, Royal Hong Kong Police Force (皇家香港警察)) is the police force of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

History

It was April 30, 1841, twelve weeks after the British had landed in Hong Kong, when orders were first given by Captain Charles Elliot to establish a police force in its new colony. The intitial chief was Captain William Caine, who also served as the Chief Magistrate at that time. The Hong Kong Police was officially established by the colonial government on May 1, 1844 after a new law was passed into effect, and the duties of the magistrate and police were seperated. The police force consisted of 35 men at its time of establishment. Soon Caucasian officers and Indian (mostly Sikh fromPunjab) constables were recruited, later also joined by policemen of Chinese and other races. Policemen from different contingents were assigned different alphabetical letter before their batch numbers: "A" for Europeans, "B" for Indians, "C" for local Chinese who spoke Cantonese, "D" for Chinese recruited from Shangdong Province. "E" was later assigned for White Russians who arrived from Siberia after civil war broke out in Russia. The headdress also varied according to ethnicity: the Caucasians wore the kepi, the Indians wore the turban, and the Chinese wore a form of straw hat. All of them, however, shared the same green uniform. These are best described by a well-known Cantonese phrase:

"ABCD,
大頭綠衣,
捉人唔到,
猛吹BB!"

Which means:

"ABCD (the ethnic designation),
Big Head (the turban), Green Coat,
Not catching the person,
Keeps blowing the whistle!"

The legacy continues today: up until December 2004 the HK Police summer uniform was still Khaki green, (The winter uniform is dark blue), a new blue all-year uniform has been adopted. At first the police officers were unarmed, but they were soon issued with firearms, and modern HK police officers continue to carry them today.

Over the years the proportion of Chinese staff within the HK Police had increased, although for many decades the senior leadership remained exclusively British. Female police officers were introduced soon after World War II.

During the 1950s and the 1960s officers of many government departments were openly corrupt; attempts to stamp out corruptions had largely failed, until the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong in 1974. Since then the HK Police has consistently been ranked one of the "cleanest" in Asia, probably second only to Singapore.

One of the most astonishing piece of news was the Godber's case in 1973. Godber was serving as the Chief Superintendent of Police(CSP). Godber was found heavily corrupted with fortune of HKD$4,377,248 worth. The Police attemtped to arrest Godber after searching for his suspicious fortune, yet Godber made use of his permit - specially issued to police officiers - which enables him to evade Immigration control and escaped to Singapore on June 8. This provoked the public. In response to this, the Hong Kong Government established the ICAC to combat against corruption. Godber was extradicted from England to stand trial and was sentenced to 4-year-long imprisonment. [1]

In 1967, at the same time as the Cultural Revolution in China, left-wing workers instigated long and bloody riots. The HK Police lost ten men during the turnmoil. For its effort in suppressing the riots in 1967, HK Police was granted the "Royal" title in 1969; this made the Royal Hong Kong Police one of only five in the Commonwealth of Nations which had received this honour.

The HK Police Today

On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty. The HK Police thus removed its "Royal" title, and changed its insignia accordingly. Its structure and mission, however, has remained essentially the same.

As of Dec 31 2004, the HK Police has 27,754 uniformed personnel, 5,232 civilian officiers plus a backup of about 4,000 Auxiliary police (The Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force, HKAPF) personnel. Apart from the usual law and order and traffic policing duties, the HK Police has the task of patrolling Hong Kong's internal border with mainland China (thus deterring illegal immigrants). It also has the largest water police force in the world, with 147 vessels of various types.

One noteworthy division of the HK Police is the Police Tactical Unit (PTU; Chinese:警察機動部隊, nicknamed 藍帽子 "Blue caps"). Apart from possessing an extremely well-equipped riot police force, the well-known Special Duties Unit (SDU; Chinese:特別任務連, nicknamed 飛虎隊 "Flying Tigers") is also under the PTU. Like its SWAT team counterparts in other regions of the world, it is a secretive and elite unit which receives SAS-style training, and is often elevated to the status of superheroes by the local media and population alike.

Unlike some other Asian countries, the majority of residents in Hong Kong trust and respect their police force. They usually call a policeman (even for Police Constables) "Ah Sir" or "Madam". Most police officers can speak fluent English as well as Cantonese. Some also speak Putonghua.

Unfortunately The accountability of Hong Kong Police could be in doubt - the abuse of search warrant in raiding night clubs are not uncommon and famous for their "fun-spoiler" status. Sometimes heavy-handed tactics are used on peaceful protesters while complaints are not conducted by an independent body.

The Basic Law Article 23 controversy

The additional power given to the Hong Kong Police Force in the Basic Law Article 23 legislation regarding national security was highly controversial. According to the National Security (Legistlation Provisions) Bill, a police officer of or above the rank of chief superintendent of police (CSP) are granted searching without warrant under some circumstances. (See [2] Pp. 9-10) The third amentment of the bill made by the Government, however, was no longer granting the HKPF to do so. (See [3] Pp. 12-13)

Nevertheless, the legistlation has been ceasing due to strong public opposition.

Commissioners of Police

The Commissioner is the head of the Hong Kong Police.

(Chief Magistrates)

• 1841 Captain William Caine
• 1844(Feb) Captain Haly
• 1844(March) Cpatain Bruce

(Captain-Superintendants)

• 1845 Charles May
• 1862 William Quin
• 1866 Walter Deane
• 1892 Major-General Alexander Adam
• 1893 Francis May
• 1902 Joseph Badeley
• 1913 Charles Messer
• 1918 Edward Wolfe

(Inspector General)

• 1930 Edward Wolfe
• 1934 Thomas King

(Commissioners)

• 1938 Thomas King
• 1941 John Pennefather-Evans
• 1946 Colonel C.H. Samson
• 1946 Duncan McIntosh
• 1953 Arthur Maxwell
• 1959 Henry Heath
• 1966 Edward Tyrer
• 1967 Edward Eates
• 1969 Charles Sutcliffe
• 1974 Brian Selvin
• 1979 Roy Henry
• 1982 Ray Anning
• 1987 Lee Kwan Ha
• 1992 Hui Ki On
• 2001 Tsang Yam Pui
• 2003 Lee Ming-kwai

Rankings

Rank(Eng)/Rank(Chinese) - Rank(Abbreviated English) - Chinese alias(If available)

Commissioned Officers

1. Commissioner 處長 (CP - 一哥)

2. Deputy Commissioner 副處長 (DCP)

3. Senior Assistant Commissioner 高級助理處長 (SACP)

4. Assistant Commissioner 助理處長 (ACP - 水泡)

5. Chief Superintendent 總警司 (CSP - 一拖二)

6. Senior Superintendent 高級警司 (SSP - 一拖一/蛇蛇P)

7. Superintendent 警司 (SP)

8. Chief Inspector 總督察 (CIP - 總幫)

9. Senior Inspector 高級督察 (SIP - 大幫)

10. Inspector 督察 (IP - 幫辦)

11. Probationary Inspector 見習督察 (PI - 朱粒)

Non-commisioned Officers

1. Station Sergeant 警署警長 (SSGT - 士沙)

2. Sergeant 警長 (SGT - 三柴/沙展)

3. Senior Constable 高級警員 (SPC - 一柴/安慰柴)

4. Constable 警員 (PC - 散仔)

Organization Structure of HKPF

External link

• Hong Kong Police
• History of Hong Kong Police