FEATURES
FEATURES
water—has produced a website which gives comprehensive sea
safety information based on real life accident trends and black spots.
The website is user-friendly and has lots of photos and videos—
please check it out below as one of the ways you can enhance your
own safety and that of your friends and your family.
From humble beginnings with a few rowing boats, the Hong Kong
Marine Police has developed into an internationally renowned
maritime law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities. It is
tasked with ensuring the overall control, integrity and security of
HKSAR waters. Indeed, this role is significant not just for the security
and safety of our waters, but it is also vitally important towards
ensuring that Hong Kong, as a whole, remains one of the safest and
most stable cities in the world.
The Hong Kong Marine Police have always been highly versatile.
During the last 35 years or so, the Marine Police have dealt with
various threats to Hong Kong including, the Vietnamese Boat people
crisis of the late 70s and early 80s, the rampant Tai Fei smuggling of
the 90s and various maritime disasters, including the sinking of the
Neftegaz 67 supply ship in 2008 and the Lamma IV tragedy in 2012
with the loss of 18 and 39 lives respectively. During those and other
incidents, the Hong Kong Marine Police have always responded
each and every time with high levels of professionalism, courage and
commitment. To respond to new threats or situations, the Marine
Police are regularly updated with new craft, equipment, training and
other resources.
They are out there 24/7 guarding our waters and responding
to incidents. With state-of-the-art vessels and equipment,
the almost 2,400 men and women of the Hong Kong Marine
Police are highly trained professionals—all sworn police officers
who are additionally trained in the various maritime disciplines
required to properly and safely operate the fleet of over 120
vessels in all sea conditions—including typhoons!
The Hong Kong Marine Police actually pre dates the regular force
by two years, having been formed in 1842 to control the waters
of the harbour. The first commander was Lieutenant William
Pedder, RN, after whom the well-known street in Central was
named, and whose direct descendant, Chris Pedder, served in
the Hong Kong Marine Police during the 1980s and 90s.
38 HEBE JEBES • JUL/AUG 2015
Five operational bases are situated at the strategic locations
of Sai Wan Ho, Aberdeen, Tai Lam, Sai Kung and Ma Liu
Shui (Tolo). Additionally, the fast interceptors of the famous
Small Boat Division, with a territory wide remit of highspeed pursuit and interception, are based at Stonecutters
Island. The Marine Police Training School, the Regional
Command and Control Centre and other HQs units are cobased at Sai Wan Ho.
In addition to policing the waters of Hong Kong, the Marine
Police are also responsible for the policing of the outlying
islands, with Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau being
particularly busy. Officers also often patrol much of Hong
Kong’s isolated coastal areas.
Currently, the focus and priorities of the Hong Kong Marine Police
include; combating illegal immigration and smuggling, enhancing
sea safety, responding to accidents, combating the importation
and use of drugs, assisting in port control, terrorism prevention and
response, contingency planning and ensuring that proper maritime
boundary control and monitoring mechanisms are in place. Patrolling
and response units at sea are supported and augmented by hightech, land-based monitoring systems to identify and track suspicious
activities. Communications are made between various units by
way of secure digital radio nets covering all of HKSAR waters. In
respect to incidents or crimes with a cross-boundary element, a
tiered communication mechanism and response protocol has been
established with relevant mainland authorities.
Should you have any suggestions or information, the Hong Kong
Marine Police welcome contact with you either by way of a phone
call, email, letter or any other means and your help or information
may well be of vital importance. When you are out on the water,
the Marine Police are out there to help you in any appropriate
situations, which usually means when you really need help or are
in a dangerous situation—it goes without saying that we need to
prioritise our efforts and resources for those really in need. Details of
methods of contact are contained at the foot of this article. Please
always remember, however, in any form of emergency, call 999!
Link to Sea Safety Guarding Angel’s website:
http://seasafetyhk.com/
Contact numbers for various Marine Police Bases and other useful
numbers can be found via their website:
http://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/contact_us.html#rr
The summer season is here an