Room boy at the top
Uncle Yin's busy days at the station have begun at 7am every morning of the week except Saturday (his day off) for the past 28 years. His work is fairly routine, but that's the way he likes it. He first goes to the locker room where he collects the uniforms of the officers who pay him to do so, then removes the shoulder badge numbers, badge lapels, badge stars and buttons before delivering them to the laundry. After the uniforms are cleaned and pressed, Uncle Yin puts the badge numbers, badge lapels, badge stars and buttons back on again, then polishes their shoes, boots and belts before calling it a day. In addition, Uncle Yin takes worn-out items back to the barrack office where they are exchanged for new ones. Uncle Yin's illustrious career as a room boy began 40 years ago in the Wan Chai Police Station after the Sai Ying Pun laundry in which he worked closed down. Back then Uncle Yin was paid $12 a month by each police constable. He had about 20 "clients" and earned a couple hundred dollars a month - not bad pay in 1957. He was transferred to Western Police Station in 1959 where he worked for five years before moving on to the Waterfront Police Station for another five. In 1969, he was posted to Kwun Tong where he has remained to this day - almost three decades. "At the Kwun Tong police station there are 60 to 70 officers ranging from CSP to PC using my service," smiles Lam, pointing out that his remuneration has been adjusted in accordance with the officers' salary increases and that his rate varies with different ranks. Because his clients are UB, Traffic and Task Force officers who come off work at different shifts, Uncle Yin frequently works late and when the situation warrants (a night time arrest operation, for example), he will spend the night at the police station after finishing his work in order to save on travelling time the next day. Having enjoyed his work as a room boy in the Force for 40 years, Lam has never once thought of retiring. He said his family members are supportive and never complain about his long working hours. Last month officers at Kwun Tong police station held a barbecue to express their gratitude to rank-and-file officers and civilian staff for their hard work over the past year. When presented by DDC KT D M Gunton with a plaque praising his dedication and enthusiasm for the job, Uncle Yin thanked him and said he was pleased people appreciated what he does. | |||||
POLICE TACTICAL UNIT HQ was the scene of a true clash of the titans on 12 December when various Emergency Unit and PTU Company teams competed in the year's Operation Santa Claus' competition. The charity event jointly sponsored by RTHK Radio 3 and the South China Morning Post has been run on an annual basis since 1990 and is now a firm favourite in the PTU training calendar. The event was well-supported with eight teams from EU NTN, EU NTS, Bravo and Zulu Companies in addition to the Training Companies and the awesome PTU staff. The competition takes the form of a series of semi-athletic sporting events and challenges ranging from the Red Man Rumble, which is medieval-style mortal combat between individual officers dressed in Red Man protective training suits, to the infamous Saxon Pull where teams of six officers compete to tow a 9.5 tonne Saxon armoured vehicle along a 50 metre course. Teamwork is the name of the game and this was best demonstrated in the Red Man Rumble when all the Training Companies and EUs combined to eliminate the feisty if vertically challenged Staff representatives before sharing out the spoils of victory among themselves. Fierce competition developed during the course of the afternoon with Staff as usual being the team to beat. In the end, Echo Company beat the Staff by a slim margin of just two points, with Foxtrot Company just behind. Beneath all the fun is the serious aim to raise money towards the $5 million target of Operation Santa Claus 1997. All proceeds go to the worthwhile cause of helping the Boys and Girls Clubs Association of Hong Kong expand its part-time children's hotline, provide social adjustment programmes for new immigrant children, and provide educational and social support for single parent families in the HKSAR. Competing teams managed to raise more than $77,000 from sponsorship - but the entertainment and flow of cash didn't stop there, with the last event of the day being a ritual sheep shearing held in the PTU Officers' Mess. This particular "sheep", however, was of the two legged Lancashire breed: short, hardy and somewhat eccentric - and none other than the infamous PTU Staff Team 3 CIP, Alan Crowther. The shearing came about as a result of a San Miguel-induced wager with the hapless CIP showing fine leadership but poor judgement on this particular occasion with the stakes being his hair, moustache and both eyebrows. After six months of delaying tactics the staff were wondering if this CIP was indeed a man of his word but in the end he came up trumps by offering his hair to the highest bidder. One body of opinion held that little interest would be shown in the shearing. However, those who work with him knew better since the CIP has established himself as a firm favourite with Company Commanders and not surprisingly everybody wanted a piece of the action. Fierce bidding developed throughout the late afternoon and the Operation Santa Command Post telephone (the mess) was running red hot with bids from VIP PU, RCU KW, Support Wing, Operations Wing, SDU, CCB and even the MG Car Club. In the end the going rates for the parts on offer were as follows: Half the head hair: $1,500 (CCB & MG Car Club); Left and right eyebrows: $800 and $1000 respectively (RCU KW and SDU); Moustache: $750 (TMDIST). All bids were non-returnable. Sadly, other fine bids had to be declined. There was considerable interest in the whole head but unfortunately the PTU barber had no throat razor handy. An Ops Wing bid for half the head to be shaved and the other to be dyed blue "in honour of PTU" was abandoned due to a lack of blue dye. After all the bids were in, the CIP was ceremonially shaved in front of a large lynch mob who were ready to step in should his nerve fail him at the last moment. The shearing went ahead in very specific sequence, and a further $11,650 was raised. C PTU is now advertising for a new Team 3 CIP and Mr Crowther himself is out shopping for a sofa bed after Mrs Crowther was less than amused at not being consulted beforehand. Keep those wagers coming Alan! |
