"Head for the hills!": PDS instructor SGT Ng Chi-wah trains a Police driver in the new 4WD

Thirteen of the latest-model vehicles have been delivered and more will come each year until all the Land Rovers are replaced.

The five-door wagons seat six, run on unleaded petrol and bring unprecedented safety, comfort and drive-ability. They will be issued to formations still using the Land Rovers which have been serving the Force since the 60s.

Basic familiarisation for Force drivers is now being offered by the Police Driving School as additional Pajeros are set to be distributed among other formations across the Force. The training is an occupational safety initiative in keeping with the Force's philosophy of providing appropriate and optimum training for its officers. PDS Commandant Robin Jolly said the vehicles' high-profile Police markings could create an impression of omnipresence, providing physical protection to officers and citizens at a scene and hopefully deterring traffic offenders.

"Patrol vehicles are highly visible to motorists which not only deters offences but reassures the public too. And this particular vehicle is a delight to the eye with police markings comparable to the best forces in the world. It turns heads and attractively marked vehicles can be an important component of service-oriented policing," Mr Jolly said.

"These new vehicles also offer good all-round protection to driver and passengers, are very robust, drive well and offer top creature comforts."

Two PDS instructors have started briefing Land Rover drivers on the proper use of the new vehicles. The training covers the vehicles' special features like its unique gearing and handling characteristics. The practical training has included off-road practise on Queen's Hill and highway running.

PDS 4WD instructor Sergeant Ng Chi-wah said despite Hong Kong's labyrinth of bitumen highways, some remote areas still had unsurfaced roads. The vehicles were also good in emergencies for reaching places road vehicles could not, such as slopes.

"Places like Sha Tau Kok and Robin's Nest are very remote areas with little development, particularly the latter which also has some very steep hills road vehicles cannot handle. If an accident occurs on a slope, an ambulance cannot get down to the scene, but the 4WD can," SGT Ng said.

"The 4WD has better grip in slippery conditions and its ground clearance is also an advantage. It basically can get you quickly to any emergency scene anywhere on land, and yet, it's good for general on-road driving too."

OffBeat goes off the beaten track

OffBeat went for a spin in one of the new Pajeros around the Police Driving School grounds and we have to say the comfort and drive-ability of the vehicle was superb.

Compared to the old Land Rovers, the Pajeros offered superior power and handling with its fuel-injected, three-litre V6 engine and smooth chassis set-up. It soaked up the bumps, breezed around corners and had the grunt and functionality of a real police workhorse.

It also sported driving and safety aids such as power steering, anti-lock brakes and a dashboard layout allowing the driver easy access to all gauges and controls.

Visibility for the person at the wheel was also very good in all directions and the four-wheel-drive mechanism, which can be nightmarishly complex in some cars, appeared to be simple and practical after a few tips from the PDS instructors.

Dressed in highly-visible Police markings the vehicle looked great. And add to all this the comfy seats, carpeting and air-conditioning, the car appeared to us to be a real winner with the PDS staff also singing its praise. The Force has come a long way since the basic Land Rover days of the 60s with stiff, squeaky seats and a single eight-inch fan on the dashboard. The functional yet comfortable Pajero looks sure to play an important role in Hong Kong's future policing both on and off the road.

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