The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) is structured into numerous bureaus and units. As a whole, it is commanded by the Commissioner of Police, who is assisted by three deputy commissioners. The "Deputy Commissioner – Operations" supervises all operational matters including crime. The "Deputy Commissioner – Management" is responsible for the direction and co-ordination of force management including personnel, training, and management services. The “Deputy Commissioner — National Security” is responsible for the National Security Department, which deals with acts of sedition, terrorism, and collusion with foreign governments.
For day-to-day policing (Operations), the Force is organised into six regions: Hong Kong Island; Kowloon East; Kowloon West; New Territories North; New Territories South; and Marine Region. The Force Headquarters (Management) is made up of five departments: Operations & Support; Crime & Security; Personnel & Training; Management Services; Finance, Administration & Planning.
Regions are largely autonomous in their day-to-day operation and management matters, and each has its own headquarters, which comprises administration and operation wings, Emergency Units, as well as traffic and criminal investigation units. Each region is divided into districts and divisions and, in a few cases, sub-divisions. Currently, there are 23 districts. The policing of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the main towns of the New Territories follows a similar pattern. Responsibility for law and order on the Mass Transit Railway, which runs through most police districts, lies with the Railway District.
Railway District, based in Kai Tak, is responsible for patrols on the MTR.
Organization
Structure
Operations and Support ('A' Department) Police Force operational matters are coordinated by the Operations & Support Department. Land Operations and Support are divided into six regions, whereas marine matters are managed by the marine police—organised as one Marine Region. Each land region comprises two wings, the operations wing and support wing, and a traffic headquarters (which is part of the operations wing). The department is charged with the formulation and implementation of policies, the monitoring of activities and the efficient deployment of personnel and resources. Operations Wing coordinates counter-terrorism, internal security, anti-illegal-immigration measures, bomb disposal commitments and contingency planning for natural disasters—they are also responsible for the Police Dog Unit.
Operations Wing
The Operations Wing consists of three sections: The Operations Bureau, the Police Tactical Unit, and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau.
Operations Bureau comprises the Operations Division, the Counter-Terrorism and Internal Security Division, and the Key Points and Search Division which includes the Police Dog Unit. It deals mainly with the staffing of operational matters which include the formulation and dissemination of relevant Force orders, boundary security, deployment of resources, and liaison with the Hong Kong garrison. The Regional Command and Control Centre in Operations Division provides the means for exercising control over resources both at regional and district levels. It also acts as an information centre for the passage of information to the Headquarters CCC and other agencies. Equipped with the Enhanced Computer-Assisted Command and Control System, each Centre receives 999 calls from the public and provides a fast and efficient service to operational officers. The Emergency Unit within the Operations Division is primarily tasked with providing quick responses to emergency situations such as 999 calls, as well as a speedy and additional presence of uniformed police on the ground to combat crime. An EU comprises a headquarters element and four platoons that operate on a three-shift basis.
The Police Tactical Unit (PTU) provides an immediate manpower reserve for use in a large-scale emergency. Unit companies are attached to all land Regions and are available for internal security, crowd control, anti-crime operations, disaster response, and riot control throughout Hong Kong. The PTU also includes the Special Duties Unit (SDU) which specializes in counter-terrorism and hostage rescue.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau(EODB) is a special standalone unit within the Operations and Support Wing. Its main responsibilities are bomb-disposal work both on land and underwater. It also trains officers on explosives-related matters and inspects the storage of ammunition and explosives.