Historical Developments of the Force

The early police in Hong Kong were established under Ordinance no. 5 of 1844. Early 20th century saw the Force building its policing capabilities. The Criminal Investigation Department was established in 1920s and the first Emergency Unit was formed in 1930 to deal with serious crimes and minor disturbances. Early 20th century also saw the establishment of the Police Reserve and a special constabulary.

After World War II, the Force reorganised itself by recruiting ex-servicemen abroad and at home, people who were better trained in law enforcement and the paramilitary role. In 1958 the Police Training Contingent, which was to evolve into the Police Tactical Unit in 1968, was formed after violence over the Double Tenth Incident in 1956. The contingent was charged with the responsibility of maintaining internal security, thus providing the Force with a permanent reserve for emergencies. It soon became apparent that the part-time Police Reserve and special constabulary would need to be amalgamated and in 1959, the Auxiliary Police were created.

1970s marked the beginning of the formative years of present day policing. The Force Complaints Office and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) were formed in 1973 and 1974 respectively following a series of serious corruption cases. Investigations of a commission of inquiry in the aftermath of the march onto the ICAC headquarters led to the establishment of the Junior Police Officers' Association (JPOA) to improve internal communication between the management and JPOs. In the meantime, the Police Community Officer Scheme was implemented and the Junior Police Call was organised by Police Public Relations Bureau (PPRB) in 1974 to improve relations with the public.

The Neighbourhood Policing Unit (NPU) Scheme, the precursor of community-oriented policing, was also instituted in 1970s to enlist community support to tackle crime or social problems within neighbourhoods.

Management reforms gained momentum in the 1980s and 1990s. The arrival of Mr Christopher Patten, the last governor, in Hong Kong in 1992 brought the UK "citizens' charter" concept of administrative responsiveness and quality service delivery to Hong Kong. Within the Force, Service Quality Wing was established in 1994, taking over Force inspections and instituting service quality initiatives.

Nothing significant has changed to the policing system since the Mainland resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. Under the Basic Law, the Central Authorities shall be responsible for defence and foreign affairs while Hong Kong SAR shall be responsible for the maintenance of law and order. Under the principle of One Country, Two Systems, the Force retains its own policing system, which is different from the Mainland Public Security Bureau (PSB).

With public sector management reforms in the last decade of the 20th century, the Force is moving towards a service culture, which lasts to this day. Foundations were also laid in the second half of the 20th century for service-oriented policing with the Force engaging the community in crime prevention campaigns, organising Junior Police Call activities, establishing PPRB and Police Community Relations Offices in districts.

Relationship with the Government

The Force operates within the community and is part of the civil service. Because of this, we rely on the government for our annual budget. This benefits the Force and the community because the Force is not subjected to direct political interference and is free to act in the best interests of the community.

The Force liaises with the Administration on policy matters through the Security Bureau (SB). SB, headed by the Secretary for Security, is charged with the responsibility for the internal security of Hong Kong, which includes overseeing the police function. Section 4 of the Police Force Ordinance Cap 232 stipulates that the Commissioner of Police is responsible for the 'supreme direction and administration of the police force' subject to 'orders and control' of the Chief Executive. The wording of section 4 gives legality to the autonomy of the Force in determining its direction and ensuring its operational efficiency.

Further Reading (Available in the Force Library)

* Sinclair, Kevin and Nelson Ng Kwok-cheung (1997) Asia's Finest Marches On: Policing Hong Kong from 1841 into the 21st Century. Kevin Sinclair Associates Ltd.

* Watson, Mike (1991) "Brief History of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force" in Police Museum. Royal Hong Kong Police Museum.

"Policing in Hong Kong" Report Series 2 of 11