There was no fire service in the early days of Hong Kong. Fire-fighting was carried out mainly by the British troops and volunteer fire-fighting teams. On 9 May 1868 The Hong Kong Government promulgated the Fire Brigade Ordinance, which established the first formal fire brigade under the Hong Kong Police Force. At the time, Charles May, who was also Police Magistrate, was the first Superintendent of the Fire Brigade to lead the fire-fighting team. This fire-fighting hand cart was a major equipment of the early fire brigade. The English words "H.K.F.B." and "C.P.S." were painted on the cart, representing the Hong Kong Fire Brigade and Central Police Station respectively.

In 1894, Hong Kong’s health and security were put to the test when bubonic plague broke out, killing at least 2,500 people within the year. As some residents concealed their disease, the Government deployed the British army to the areas where the pandemic was concentrated to assist the police in conducting door-to-door searches, isolating the sick, disposing of the bodies, and disinfecting the flats. In recognition of the selflessness and bravery of those who fought the plague, the Hong Kong community at that time had the plague medal struck and presented by the Hong Kong Government to the plague fighters.

On 8 March 1915, villagers reported at Sheung Shui Police Station that a tiger had been found on a hill near Lung Yeuk Tau. Whilst Police Constables Goucher and Hollands were on the way for investigation, a tiger pounced on them. Goucher was mauled and taken to hospital. He passed away four days later. The following day, Donald Burlingham, the then New Territories Commander, led a dozen officers and villagers to hunt the tiger. During the hunt, Indian Police Constable Ruttan Singh was mauled by the tiger and died in the line of duty at the scene. The tiger was eventually shot in the head and killed. The bullet mark of the fatal shot is still clearly visible at the top centre of the specimen.

After World War II, the motorcycle with a sidecar was introduced to the Hong Kong Police Force from Britain. This type of motorcycle was in fact a tricycle with a bucket seat attached to the side, commonly known as a “gondola”, for carrying passengers. In those days, these tricycles were mainly used to transport senior police officers on their official duties, until they were gradually replaced by other vehicles in the 1970s.

Bombs detonated during the many riots in Hong Kong before the 1970s caused deaths and injuries. The Hong Kong Police Force established the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau in 1972. The model number of this old bomb disposal vehicle is “Wheelbarrow Mark 7”. Its main function was to pick up the explosives with a mechanical arm and move them to a suitable location for detonation or other disposal. It was operated manually by remote control, which was connected to the vehicle by a cable that could be extended for up to 100 metres, allowing the operator to observe the explosives and the environment through the camera on the vehicle.

Since its formal establishment the Hong Kong Police Force has always had criminal investigation officers. Initially, these officers were part of the Uniform Branch rather than a dedicated department. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was not founded until 1923. Its offices were located in the then Police Headquarters. In the 1920s and 1930s, CID officers carried the Hong Kong Police Detective Badge, also known as the “undercover badge”.

At that time, the land-based Chinese police officers wore dark green uniforms and bamboos hats in the Qing Dynasty style. The Queen Victoria crown was painted on the conical round hat. They wore white socks and leggings and Chinese cloth shoes. They looked a bit big-headed and small-bodied, so they, together with the Indian police officers who had their heads wrapped in the turban, were often mocked as “big head green coat”.