Serving the Colonial Regime
The history of the Hong Kong Police Force is deeply bound to the history of Hong Kong. An obvious statement you may think, but in Hong Kong that link is uniquely strong because one impacted the other and vice versa. Therefore, by default, the development of policing takes in the great sweep of Hong Kong’s own history.
But our story starts 6,000 miles away in late Victorian Britain. It is generally recognised by academics that two models of policing emerged in the United Kingdom during the period before the 1900s. This evolution was to have a profound influence on the policing style adopted in Hong Kong. Across Great Britain during the 1830s and 1840s, local governments experimented with a variety of policing models. In London, a civilian force emerged, whilst in Ireland (still under British colonial rule at the time) a more militaristic entity came into being.
Over the years these models of policing went through various changes, but increasingly an ethos of policing emerged that had a distinct contrast between what became known as the British and Irish models. In simple terms, under the British model police officers were civilians, drawn from the local community, answerable only to the law and did not usually carry firearms.
The Irish model was much more militaristic. Men were not allowed to work in their country of birth, were armed, subject to strict military-like discipline and much less integrated with the local community. The unstable political situation in Ireland with resistance against British colonial rule had brought about this regimented style of policing.
The British landed in Hong Kong in 1841, with the colony formally handed over with the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The population at that time was an estimated 6,000 people on Hong Kong Island. The vast majority were fishermen. In a matter of months, Hong Kong saw a rapid increase in commercial activity as foreign traders took the opportunity to use the well-sheltered harbour.
On land warehouses, piers and offices began to appear, whilst at the same time hostels, brothels, drug dens, and pubs arrived to cater for the influx of foreigners. Crime soon emerged with robbery and piracy being tackled by a small British garrison.
In those first few years a motley cohort of discharged soldiers, the odd sailor and few Chinese operated under Mr. William Caine, the Chief Magistrate, to maintain law and order. This group proved ill-suited to the role as some refused to perform night shift. Plus as only approximately 30 were recruited they hardly represented a substantial force against determined criminals. This resulted in the government imposing a curfew in order to contain the escalating crime. These restrictions were not applied in a uniform manner, as the record shows it was the Chinese who faced sanctions for non-compliance. Caine specifically imposed an order in 1842, which mandated all Chinese be indoors before 11pm, meanwhile, he also required that they carry lanterns during the hours of darkness.
The penalties for breaches of this rules were swift and harsh. The Police conducted public floggings on an almost daily basis in an attempt to enforce controls.
With the formal establishment of the Force in 1844, the model adopted was not the consensus type policing that had emerged in the mainland Britain. Instead, the ‘occupier’ colony model first applied in Ireland became the framework for policing. This process was accelerated in 1907, when the Colonial Office decided that all officers of colonial police forces must undergo training at the Dublin depot of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Hence, as the Hong Kong Police underwent a steady expansion and modernisation, it was officers imbued with the Irish military model that drove the process.
Moreover, the initial recruitment of officers for the new Force drew heavily on the existing military in Hong Kong; these included British and Indian nationals. A few Chinese were also recruited with the strength raising to 171 men by 1870. The British commanded this nascent force: the Indian and Chinese officers doing much of the front-line work.
It is fair to say that the quality of many of the recruits left much to be desired. Most had opted out of the military for an easier life. Their commitment to policing was not always evident with high rates of absence, alcoholism, assorted illnesses and staff turn-over. None of this helped create a proficient police force, which enjoyed a poor reputation with both the British traders and the indigenous Chinese population.
The rampant chauvinism that existed at that time feeds into all aspects of life in the colony. For example, the few Chinese officers recruited were refused firearms training until the direct personal intervention of the then Governor Hennessy in 1878. Acting against orders from London, he authorised weapons training to be given to all police officers no matter the race. His initiative was not welcomed because as soon as he left Hong Kong the training for Chinese officers ceased. It was not started again until the 1920s. The pay and conditions also reflected the imperial attitude. Europeans enjoyed the best pay, quarters and leave arrangements.
Next in the pecking order came the Indian officers, with the Chinese receiving the least. This was a pattern of divide and rule the British applied across its colonies, and whilst pay for the Indian and Chinese gradually equalised, the expatriates continued to enjoy better conditions of service well into the 1980s. These favorable conditions were even protected to an extent under the Joint Declaration.
With more than 200 colonial police services across the British Empire, the colonial office struggled to maintain standards. As early as 1899 Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India expressed a view of low-class Englishmen serving as police officers " There is no end to the mischief that he may do.”
Starting in 1861, the Force sought new recruits from Calcutta (now Mumbai), India. This was done in part because the Expatriate community did not welcome patrols by Chinese officers, whereas Indians were considered acceptable. This reflected the prejudices of the period. Later, a steady supply of new recruits was found amongst the Sikhs in the Punjab. This led to the appearance of turbans as part of the official uniform.
In a rather revealing move, British officers were sent to India to study Hindi, in order to communicate with their Indian subordinates. But they were not required to learn Chinese, which speaks volumes as to how the British colonial regime used different races to attain control without themselves being immersed in the local culture. This study arrangement continued until shortly before the Second World War.
But our story starts 6,000 miles away in late Victorian Britain. It is generally recognised by academics that two models of policing emerged in the United Kingdom during the period before the 1900s. This evolution was to have a profound influence on the policing style adopted in Hong Kong. Across Great Britain during the 1830s and 1840s, local governments experimented with a variety of policing models. In London, a civilian force emerged, whilst in Ireland (still under British colonial rule at the time) a more militaristic entity came into being.
Over the years these models of policing went through various changes, but increasingly an ethos of policing emerged that had a distinct contrast between what became known as the British and Irish models. In simple terms, under the British model police officers were civilians, drawn from the local community, answerable only to the law and did not usually carry firearms.
The Irish model was much more militaristic. Men were not allowed to work in their country of birth, were armed, subject to strict military-like discipline and much less integrated with the local community. The unstable political situation in Ireland with resistance against British colonial rule had brought about this regimented style of policing.
The British landed in Hong Kong in 1841, with the colony formally handed over with the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. The population at that time was an estimated 6,000 people on Hong Kong Island. The vast majority were fishermen. In a matter of months, Hong Kong saw a rapid increase in commercial activity as foreign traders took the opportunity to use the well-sheltered harbour.
On land warehouses, piers and offices began to appear, whilst at the same time hostels, brothels, drug dens, and pubs arrived to cater for the influx of foreigners. Crime soon emerged with robbery and piracy being tackled by a small British garrison.
In those first few years a motley cohort of discharged soldiers, the odd sailor and few Chinese operated under Mr. William Caine, the Chief Magistrate, to maintain law and order. This group proved ill-suited to the role as some refused to perform night shift. Plus as only approximately 30 were recruited they hardly represented a substantial force against determined criminals. This resulted in the government imposing a curfew in order to contain the escalating crime. These restrictions were not applied in a uniform manner, as the record shows it was the Chinese who faced sanctions for non-compliance. Caine specifically imposed an order in 1842, which mandated all Chinese be indoors before 11pm, meanwhile, he also required that they carry lanterns during the hours of darkness.
The penalties for breaches of this rules were swift and harsh. The Police conducted public floggings on an almost daily basis in an attempt to enforce controls.
With the formal establishment of the Force in 1844, the model adopted was not the consensus type policing that had emerged in the mainland Britain. Instead, the ‘occupier’ colony model first applied in Ireland became the framework for policing. This process was accelerated in 1907, when the Colonial Office decided that all officers of colonial police forces must undergo training at the Dublin depot of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Hence, as the Hong Kong Police underwent a steady expansion and modernisation, it was officers imbued with the Irish military model that drove the process.
Moreover, the initial recruitment of officers for the new Force drew heavily on the existing military in Hong Kong; these included British and Indian nationals. A few Chinese were also recruited with the strength raising to 171 men by 1870. The British commanded this nascent force: the Indian and Chinese officers doing much of the front-line work.
It is fair to say that the quality of many of the recruits left much to be desired. Most had opted out of the military for an easier life. Their commitment to policing was not always evident with high rates of absence, alcoholism, assorted illnesses and staff turn-over. None of this helped create a proficient police force, which enjoyed a poor reputation with both the British traders and the indigenous Chinese population.
The rampant chauvinism that existed at that time feeds into all aspects of life in the colony. For example, the few Chinese officers recruited were refused firearms training until the direct personal intervention of the then Governor Hennessy in 1878. Acting against orders from London, he authorised weapons training to be given to all police officers no matter the race. His initiative was not welcomed because as soon as he left Hong Kong the training for Chinese officers ceased. It was not started again until the 1920s. The pay and conditions also reflected the imperial attitude. Europeans enjoyed the best pay, quarters and leave arrangements.
Next in the pecking order came the Indian officers, with the Chinese receiving the least. This was a pattern of divide and rule the British applied across its colonies, and whilst pay for the Indian and Chinese gradually equalised, the expatriates continued to enjoy better conditions of service well into the 1980s. These favorable conditions were even protected to an extent under the Joint Declaration.
With more than 200 colonial police services across the British Empire, the colonial office struggled to maintain standards. As early as 1899 Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of India expressed a view of low-class Englishmen serving as police officers " There is no end to the mischief that he may do.”
Starting in 1861, the Force sought new recruits from Calcutta (now Mumbai), India. This was done in part because the Expatriate community did not welcome patrols by Chinese officers, whereas Indians were considered acceptable. This reflected the prejudices of the period. Later, a steady supply of new recruits was found amongst the Sikhs in the Punjab. This led to the appearance of turbans as part of the official uniform.
In a rather revealing move, British officers were sent to India to study Hindi, in order to communicate with their Indian subordinates. But they were not required to learn Chinese, which speaks volumes as to how the British colonial regime used different races to attain control without themselves being immersed in the local culture. This study arrangement continued until shortly before the Second World War.
In 1936 the Colonial Police Service was established in order to improve the efficiency, bring uniformity to colonial policing and provide a career path that allowed officers to move from one colony to the next on promotion. Whether the Colonial Police Service had any significant impact on standards in policing is doubtful, although it did provide an avenue for officers from other colonial forces to move to Hong Kong.
Certainly, the Hong Kong Police in its first iteration was a tool of its colonial masters. It operated under a system of apartheid with the interests of Europeans taking precedence over the local people. Given the training the commanders received in Ireland, the paramilitary ethos predominated and the occasional outbreak of public disorder meant that this approach would be retained for years to come.
With senior posts held by expatriates, the Force worked to support the colonial government, protect British interests by maintaining control of the population, whilst providing a degree of stability.
Starting in 1922, the Force brought in recruits from Shandong Province in northeast China. Some 50 officers were taken on that year. The selection was based on strict criteria - a minimum height of five feet seven inches, and muscular build. The clear intent was to have officers who looked physically robust. The recruiters took the effort to examine the candidate's hands, as those with callused palms were felt to be tougher and hardened men. Cantonese ability was not considered, although a good general education was felt necessary.
Eventually, by 1940s, over 300 Shandong officers had joined the Force. Initial training was given in Shandong. This and the fact that officers did not speak Cantonese is again indicative of how the colonial police forces operated.
In those early days, the Shandong officers served mainly on Hong Kong Island, based at Wanchai Police Station. They provided most of the manpower for the Peak, as for some reason the expatriates living there held them in high regard. Moreover, their physical appearance made them stand out compared with the smaller Cantonese officers. It is also suggested that they felt somewhat alienated from the local Chinese due to their inability to speak Cantonese. As a consequence they spent their off-duty time studying English with books provided by the Force.
Whilst their Cantonese colleagues went out for entertainment or spent time with families, the Shandong officers sought to further their studies. This earnest attitude further enamoured them to their expatriate commanders, opening promotion opportunities. One Shandong officer eventually rose to the rank of inspector, before leaving the Force to become a legal counsel.
In another rather unexpected move, Russians were recruited in the 1930s to serve as part of the anti-piracy detachment. These ‘White Russians’ (a name derived from their fight against the communists) had extensive combat experience plus a reputation for toughness. A total of 25 joined. By the end of the Japanese occupation, four remained in service, with the last retiring in 1960.
Recruitment from Shandong stopped in 1949. Nonetheless, the descendants of Shandong officers continue to serve although these days they are fully integrated in the Force. Moreover, with modern diets and better health care the Shandong no longer stand out as the Cantonese have caught up.
It was soon apparent to local Chinese leaders, principally business people, that the Police Force was not serving their interests as crime continued unchecked in those parts of town without a substantial European populace. In 1886 permission was granted by Governor Graves for the Chinese community to operate a Watchmen Force.
Funded partly by the Chinese community with some government contributions, able-bodied Chinese males were recruited and operated under the supervision of British police officers. The Watchman worked as an adjunct to the regular police, and whilst not subordinate to the regulars they nonetheless worked together to maintain order. By 1929 the Watchmen numbered approximately 125, with their patrols expanding from Hong Kong Island to cover Tai Po and Tsuen Wan.
The core values of the Force in those early days could be best described as 'strict discipline,' accompanied by absolute obedience to orders. The beat constable was not expected to think, but rather act on orders without question. That culture was to prove robust and remained well embedded until the 1960s, when things gradually changed.
Until the 1950s the life of a young expatriate inspector could be lonely with responsibilities well beyond his years. In the more remote areas, without easy access to downtown, he would be expected to act as judge and jury, the arbiter of disputes, a wise counsel and honest broker. It never ceased to amaze how well many of these young men did with no experience, working in an alien culture that was largely unknown to them. Of course, it did go spectacularly wrong on occasions, but not too often.
It is also notable that the Police Force carried out many functions that today are the remit of separate departments. The Fire Department came under the control of the Commissioner of Police until 1941. Likewise, immigration controls, including border checks, remained a police function until 1961. If you needed driving licenses or the registration of a vehicle this was done by the police until 1965, when the Transport Department came into existence. Police Stations in remote areas also served as the post office. Citizens could purchase stamps, collect and receive mail without having to travel to the urban area.
Perhaps the most bizarre function allocated the police, and one which speaks to the times was the inspection of officially licensed brothels. Inspectors were authorised to enter these premises to check the ladies had undergone the necessary health inspections, in addition to the premises being run in ‘good order.’ The official sanctioning of brothels is something that no doubt kept a degree of control on the trade. Whether such would be contemplated in the modern era is doubtful.
From an organisation initially staffed by ruffians and discharged military types, the Hong Kong Police had gradually professionalised its operations and was broadly keeping in step with policing development elsewhere in the world. Although its primary function remained to protect the colonial power the stability and order it brought to the wider community benefitted all society. The events of the war years were to herald more changes, signaling the end of the imperial British prerogative.
Certainly, the Hong Kong Police in its first iteration was a tool of its colonial masters. It operated under a system of apartheid with the interests of Europeans taking precedence over the local people. Given the training the commanders received in Ireland, the paramilitary ethos predominated and the occasional outbreak of public disorder meant that this approach would be retained for years to come.
With senior posts held by expatriates, the Force worked to support the colonial government, protect British interests by maintaining control of the population, whilst providing a degree of stability.
Starting in 1922, the Force brought in recruits from Shandong Province in northeast China. Some 50 officers were taken on that year. The selection was based on strict criteria - a minimum height of five feet seven inches, and muscular build. The clear intent was to have officers who looked physically robust. The recruiters took the effort to examine the candidate's hands, as those with callused palms were felt to be tougher and hardened men. Cantonese ability was not considered, although a good general education was felt necessary.
Eventually, by 1940s, over 300 Shandong officers had joined the Force. Initial training was given in Shandong. This and the fact that officers did not speak Cantonese is again indicative of how the colonial police forces operated.
In those early days, the Shandong officers served mainly on Hong Kong Island, based at Wanchai Police Station. They provided most of the manpower for the Peak, as for some reason the expatriates living there held them in high regard. Moreover, their physical appearance made them stand out compared with the smaller Cantonese officers. It is also suggested that they felt somewhat alienated from the local Chinese due to their inability to speak Cantonese. As a consequence they spent their off-duty time studying English with books provided by the Force.
Whilst their Cantonese colleagues went out for entertainment or spent time with families, the Shandong officers sought to further their studies. This earnest attitude further enamoured them to their expatriate commanders, opening promotion opportunities. One Shandong officer eventually rose to the rank of inspector, before leaving the Force to become a legal counsel.
In another rather unexpected move, Russians were recruited in the 1930s to serve as part of the anti-piracy detachment. These ‘White Russians’ (a name derived from their fight against the communists) had extensive combat experience plus a reputation for toughness. A total of 25 joined. By the end of the Japanese occupation, four remained in service, with the last retiring in 1960.
Recruitment from Shandong stopped in 1949. Nonetheless, the descendants of Shandong officers continue to serve although these days they are fully integrated in the Force. Moreover, with modern diets and better health care the Shandong no longer stand out as the Cantonese have caught up.
It was soon apparent to local Chinese leaders, principally business people, that the Police Force was not serving their interests as crime continued unchecked in those parts of town without a substantial European populace. In 1886 permission was granted by Governor Graves for the Chinese community to operate a Watchmen Force.
Funded partly by the Chinese community with some government contributions, able-bodied Chinese males were recruited and operated under the supervision of British police officers. The Watchman worked as an adjunct to the regular police, and whilst not subordinate to the regulars they nonetheless worked together to maintain order. By 1929 the Watchmen numbered approximately 125, with their patrols expanding from Hong Kong Island to cover Tai Po and Tsuen Wan.
The core values of the Force in those early days could be best described as 'strict discipline,' accompanied by absolute obedience to orders. The beat constable was not expected to think, but rather act on orders without question. That culture was to prove robust and remained well embedded until the 1960s, when things gradually changed.
Until the 1950s the life of a young expatriate inspector could be lonely with responsibilities well beyond his years. In the more remote areas, without easy access to downtown, he would be expected to act as judge and jury, the arbiter of disputes, a wise counsel and honest broker. It never ceased to amaze how well many of these young men did with no experience, working in an alien culture that was largely unknown to them. Of course, it did go spectacularly wrong on occasions, but not too often.
It is also notable that the Police Force carried out many functions that today are the remit of separate departments. The Fire Department came under the control of the Commissioner of Police until 1941. Likewise, immigration controls, including border checks, remained a police function until 1961. If you needed driving licenses or the registration of a vehicle this was done by the police until 1965, when the Transport Department came into existence. Police Stations in remote areas also served as the post office. Citizens could purchase stamps, collect and receive mail without having to travel to the urban area.
Perhaps the most bizarre function allocated the police, and one which speaks to the times was the inspection of officially licensed brothels. Inspectors were authorised to enter these premises to check the ladies had undergone the necessary health inspections, in addition to the premises being run in ‘good order.’ The official sanctioning of brothels is something that no doubt kept a degree of control on the trade. Whether such would be contemplated in the modern era is doubtful.
From an organisation initially staffed by ruffians and discharged military types, the Hong Kong Police had gradually professionalised its operations and was broadly keeping in step with policing development elsewhere in the world. Although its primary function remained to protect the colonial power the stability and order it brought to the wider community benefitted all society. The events of the war years were to herald more changes, signaling the end of the imperial British prerogative.