Policing Hong Kong, 1842-1969: Insiders’ Stories

Hong Kong began its colonial history in 1842 when China ceded Hong Kong Island to Britain. The Hong Kong Police Force was formally set up in 1844 to maintain law and order. To recognise its contribution in handling the 1967 Riots, the Hong Kong Police Force was renamed the Royal Hong Kong Police Force in 1969, turning a new page in the police history.

This volume mainly delineates the Hong Kong policing history from 1842 to 1969 through the frontline stories of many police officers. Eighty retired policemen and policewomen, representing different generations, races, ranks and lines of duties, share the views and memories of their police service through individual oral history sessions and group discussions. Their personal recollections and lively anecdotes enable readers to enjoy the excitement and relieve the challenges, the good days and hard times of the police throughout the eras. These accounts mirror the evolution of the Hong Kong Police Force in the decades after the Second World War, a time which drastically reshaped Hong Kong from a British colony to a world city and a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

This book is a compelling read for anyone interested in policing or the history of Hong Kong at large.