Marine Region
- Marine Police redirects here. See Marine Police Force for the predecessor of Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit.
| Marine Region | |
|---|---|
Police Launch 80.
|
|
| Active | 1846-Now |
| Country |  Hong Kong |
| Branch | Hong Kong Police Force |
| Type | Water police |
| Role | Sea and islands policing, anti-smuggling and illegal immigration |
| Size | 2,424 officers |
| Part of | Operations Wing |
| Colours | Dark blue |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Assistant Commissioner Oscar Kwok Yam-Shu |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
150px [1] [2] |
The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, more widely known as the Marine Police. The marine police patrol 1,651 km2 (637 sq mi) of waters within the territory of Hong Kong, including 263 islands. The Marine Region with about 3,000 officers, and a fleet of 142 in total, made up of 70 launches and 72 craft is the largest of any civil police force.[1][2][3]
Contents
Overview
The Marine Region involves about 3,000 officers policing some 13,000 local craft and a total maritime population of 14,100. In addition to normal marine policing functions, the marine police are also responsible for countering illegal immigration and smuggling at sea.[4]
To undertake this work, the Marine Region additionally mount shore patrol to police the smaller islands and isolated communities with no land transport to other parts of the territory, and participate in the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which is responsible for co-ordinating maritime rescue operations both within and outside Hong Kong waters. The region's headquarters are located at Sai Wan Ho.[4]
Since 2007, the Marine Region has developed a new, two-part operational strategy called Versatile Maritime Policing Response (VMPR) which has come into operation in phases, providing an improved police service at reduced cost with an enhanced Command and Control System and faster craft offering a more flexible policing response.
Organisation
The Marine Region comprises a Regional Headquarters and two sea Districts. The entire region is commanded by a Regional Commander with the rank of Assistant Commissioner, who is assisted by a Chief Superintendent. Each of the three bureaux is commanded by a Senior Superintendent; divisions and units are commanded by Superintendents, who are assisted by Chief Inspectors.[5]
The Region comprises:
- Operations Bureau is responsible for all operational matters at Regional level, including:
- Operations Division
- Regional Crime Units investigating crimes and syndicated illegal immigration by sea;
- RCCC;
- Logistics Unit;
- Regional Motor Transport Office;
- Regional Armoury;
- Small Boat Division.
- Crime Marine
- Operations Division
- Administration Bureau is responsible for general administration; personnel and establishment matters.
- Support Bureau is responsible for:
- management of the launch acquisition programmes;
- training and assessment of Marine police personnel in navigation, seamanship, engineering and safety; and
- selection and acquisition of specialist equipment.
- core property strategy in Marine Region
Headquarters
The Marine Region had its headquarters at the Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound in Tsim Sha Tsui till 1996, when they were relocated to Sai Wan Ho. The old headquarters have now become a heritage tourism facility known as 1881 Heritage.
Gallery
-
HK SWH Tai Hong Street Marine Police Regional Headquarters sign.JPG
Sai Wan Ho Marine Police Regional Headquarters.
-
HKPolice MarineNorthDiv 1.jpg
Marine Police North Division.
-
HKPolice MarineNorthDiv.jpg
Marine Police North Division.
-
HKPolice MarineNorthDiv 2.jpg
Marine Police North Division.
-
HK MarinePoliceEastDivision.JPG
Marine Police East Division.
-
Kat O Marine Police station.jpg
Kat O Police Post.
Fleet
Marine craft
BSC Marine Group patrol vessels- Protector (Pacific Forum) class – 6 small patrol boats
- Hong Kong Shipyards Sea Panther class 1988 – 2 large command boats
- replaced Hong Kong United Dockyard Sea Lion class command boats 1965 – 2 (retired 1993)
Damen Stan Mk I patrol boats 1980–1981 – 10 built by Chung Wah Shipyard 1990s- Damen Stan Mk III patrol boats 1984–1985 – 16 built by Chung Wah Shipyard 1990s
- Damen Stan 2600 patrol boats
HamiltonJet 13m Aluminium patrol boats[6]- ASC Keka Class 30-metre patrol launches 2000 – six built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard
- replaced six Damen Class Mk1 patrol launches[7]
- Rigid inflatable hull vessels
- Tai Fei – fast patrol vessels
- speed boats
Historic[8]
- 22’ Police Launch 1970 – 11
- 30’ Fairey Marine Spear Class patrol boat 1981 – 9
- 40’ Jetstream Class patrol craft 1971 – 3
- 45’ converted tugs pre-1995 – 8
- 45’ converted tugs pre-1975 – 2
- Islander Class patrol craft 1960 – 1
- Hong Kong United Dockyard Sea Rover Class patrol craft 1955 – 6
- Pacific Forum Class Patrol boat 1993 – 6
- 78’ Vosper Thornycroft coastal patrol craft 1972–73 – 7 (retired 1993)
-
HKPF Police Boat 3.JPG
Police Launch 3 (Sea Panther Class).
-
Hong Kong Police Boat 5.jpg
Police Launch 5 which started to service in 2007 (Damen Stan).
-
HKPF Police Patrol Boat-8.JPG
Police Launch 8.
-
HKPF Police Patrol Boat-14.JPG
Police Launch 14.
-
Hong Kong Police Boat 42.jpg
Police Launch 42.
-
Police boat 44.jpg
Police Launch 44.
-
HKPF Police Patrol Boat-54.JPG
Police Launch 54 (Protector Class).
-
HKPF Police Patrol BoatNo.63.JPG
Police Launch 63 (Keka Class).
-
HKPF Police Boat 82.jpg
Police Launch 82.
-
Block of Shing Mun River Channel under Banyan Bridge, 2008 Summer Olympics 4.jpg
Marine Police set up a block in Shing Mun River Channel under the Banyan Bridge during the 2008 Summer Olympics.
-
HK 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong PoliceFastPursuitCraft.JPG
Marine Police patrol the Shing Mun River Channel during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay.
-
HK 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong PoliceFastPursuitCraft2.JPG
Marine Police patrol the Shing Mun River Channel during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay.
-
Coming about.jpg
Marine Police supervises while the dragonboat races in Shing Mun River Channel, Sha Tin.[dubious ]
Firearms
- Smith & Wesson Model 10- Standard issue sidearm for Marine Region (except Small Boat Division), 6 shot .38 revolver.
- Glock 17- Standard issue pistol for Small Boat Division, loaded with 17 round of 9mm Parabellum magazines
- Federal Model 201-Z Riot Gun – Standard issue anti-riot gun, loaded with less-than-lethal CS rounds.
- Heckler & Koch MP5- Standard issue SMG, loaded with 30 round of 9mm Parabellum magazines
See also
- Special Duties Unit
- Marine Department (Hong Kong)
- Fire Services Department
- Customs and Excise Department (Hong Kong)
- Immigration Department
- Government Flying Service
- Water police
- Coast Guard
References
- ↑ Police History: Overview – The Future
- ↑ 香港警務處－警隊歷史
- ↑ 水警總區
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://oceania.pbworks.com/w/page/8462402/Hong-Kong-Navy
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hong Kong Marine Police. |
![[1]](http://www.fotw.net/images/h/hk~wpol.gif){kind=link}
