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Hong Kong Special Duties Unit

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POLICE TACTICAL UNIT (PTU)

The Special Duties Unit is the elite counterterrorism team within the Hong Kong Police Tactical Unit (PTU).

1999 was a busy year for the PTU. The PTU Companies spent thousands of man-hours deployed in major operations including maintaining the cordon and venue security during the various ceremonies connected with the Handover and protecting the venue of the WB/IMF Annual Meetings. They also performed crowd control during major public events such as the opening of the Tsing Ma Bridge and fireworks displays. The PTU Companies were also committed to assisting the Correctional Services Department in case of major disorders in VM detention centres and various anti-II operations.

PTU training concentrates on teaching the concepts of internal security, anti-crime and crowd control. During the 12 weeks of training the programme is designed to supplement the basic skills which the trainees have acquired during their basic training at the Police Training School plus their experience accumulated in day-to-day policing. The PTU Companies' team work is second to none with all 170 officers redeployed en mass from their home Regions for the duration of the attachment, currently 48 weeks. Each of the 12 Companies, which now include a proportion of female officers, commences life with a four week cadre course for the Company Headquarters personnel, Inspectors, and Non-Commissioned Officers. This allows the Company's supervisory officers an opportunity to refresh their leadership skills and learn the fundamentals of their role before the remainder of the Company join. After passing out from the PTU, each Company will spend 16 weeks performing anti-illegal immigration duties along the land border, before heading back to their home Region to provide the Regional Commander with a well-trained and highly motivated reserve of manpower.

The PTU Companies receive their training at the PTU Headquarters at Fanling. The Unit shares this superb facility with the Force's counter-terrorist expert, the Special Duties Unit, which remains ready to deal with the ever present, but thankfully infrequent, threat of terrorism and serious and violent crimes.

Overview of Hong Kong Police Operations Wing

Operations Wing

The Wing is commanded by an Assistant Commissioner and consists of the Operations Bureau, the Police Tactical Unit, and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Bureau

The Bureau, commanded by a Senior Bomb Disposal Officer, is responsible for all bomb disposal work in the HKSAR.

Police Tactical Unit (PTU)

The PTU Headquarters is commanded by The Commandant PTU, who is a Chief Superintendent, and comprised the Training Section, the Administration Section and the Special Duties Unit. 

Special Duties Unit

Operations Bureau

The Bureau, commanded by a Senior Superintendent, comprises the Operations Division, the Counter-Terrorism and Internal Security Division, and the Key Points and Search Division which includes the Police Dog Unit. The Bureau deals mainly with the staffing of operational matters which include the formulation and dissemination of relevant Force policies. Indiviudally, the Operations Division is charged with the responsibilities of collating resource requirements and monitoring of territorial and regional plans in illegal immigration, Vietnamese migrants, major disasters, search and rescue operations and crowd management events. The remaining two Divisions handle matters relating to internal security and counter-terrorism. The Police Dog Unit is responsible for the deployment of dogs throughout the Force and for giving expert advice to formations concerning their use.

Support Wing

Commanded by an Assistant Commissioner, the Wing consists of the Support Bureau, the Police Public Relations Branch and the Traffic Branch Headquarters.

Licensing Office

The Commissioner of Police is the Societies Officer, a role which he exercises through the Licensing Office. The Commissioner is also the licensing authority for various licences and permits issued under Ordinances covering Firearms and Ammunition, Weapons, Security and Guarding Services, Pawnbrokers, Massage Establishments, and the Dutiable Commodities (Liquor) Regulations. Where possible, the authority for licensing is devolved from the Force to other government agencies or departments.

Police Public Relations Branch

Commanded by a Chief Superintendent, the Police Public Relations Branch consists of two Bureaux: the Community Relations Bureau and the Information and Publicity Bureau. The Branch is responsible for explaining the work of the Force and maintaining good relations with the public.

Support Bureau

Commanded by a Senior Superintendent, the Bureau comprises the Field, General and Licensing divisions responsible for the staffing of matters affecting operational support and the formulation and dissemination of related policy.

The Bureau strives to provide better services to the public. During 1997, customer service was improved through the implementation of a number of technologies for the 999 emergency call service; and measures to ensure continued maximization of the deployment of available uniformed officers in Land Regions on outdoor duties. Procedures in connection with the Access to Information and Personal Data Privacy are also coordinated by the Bureau.

It is responsible for coordinating policy matters relating to equipment, uniforms and firearms. Projects undertaken in the year included a review of investigation procedures in open fire cases; the introduction of several new items of equipment and uniforms; and the embarkation of a complete review of Force working dress.

Traffic Branch Headquarters

Commanded by a Chief Superintendent, the Traffic Branch Headquarters has three main components: the Traffic Management Bureau, the Central Traffic Prosecutions Bureau, and the Administration Bureau.

The Traffic Branch Headquarters is responsible for the formulation and dissemination of the Commissioner's traffic enforcement policies, the collation of related resource requirements, the processing of traffic summons and fixed penalty tickets, the monitoring of changes in traffic legislation, the development and evaluation of traffic management schemes, and the coordination of the Force's road safety efforts. It is also responsible for the administration of the Traffic Warden Corps, who assist the Police in the control of traffic and enforcement of parking offences.