Marine Region

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title: "Marine Region" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["hong-kong-police-force", "sea-rescue-organizations", "maritime-safety", "maritime-law-enforcement-agencies"] topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Region" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox law enforcement agency"]

FieldValue
agencynameMarine Region
commonnameMarine Police
flagcaptionHK Marine Police Flag
formedyear
employees2,424 officers
countryHong Kong
policeyes
speciality1coast
parentagencyHong Kong Police Force
::

| agencyname = Marine Region | nativename = | nativenamea = | nativenamer = | commonname = Marine Police | flag = | flagcaption = HK Marine Police Flag | formedyear = | employees = 2,424 officers | country = Hong Kong | police = yes | speciality1 = coast | headquarters = | parentagency = Hong Kong Police Force | website = | footnotes = | reference =

The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, more widely known as the Marine Police. The marine police patrols 1651 km2 of waters within the territory of Hong Kong, including 263 islands. The Marine Region is made up of about 3,000 officers. It has a fleet of 142 boats in total, the largest of any civil police force in the world.

Overview

The Marine Region comprises approximately 3,000 officers overseeing around 13,000 local craft and a total maritime population of 14,100. In addition to normal marine policing functions, the marine police is also responsible for countering illegal immigration and smuggling at sea.

The Marine Region usually mounts shore patrol to police the smaller islands and isolated communities with no land transport to other parts of the Hong Kong, and participates in the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, which is responsible for co-ordinating maritime rescue operations both within and outside Hong Kong waters. The region's headquarters are located at Sai Wan Ho.

Organisation

The Marine Region comprises a Regional Headquarters and two sea districts. The entire region is commanded by a Regional Commander with the rank of Assistant Commissioner, who is assisted by a Chief Superintendent. Each of the three bureaus is commanded by a Senior Superintendent; divisions and units are commanded by Superintendents, who are assisted by Chief Inspectors.

The Region comprises:

  • Operations Bureau is responsible for all operational matters at Regional level, including:
    • Operations Division
      • Regional Crime Units investigating crimes and syndicated illegal immigration by sea;
      • RCCC;
      • Logistics Unit;
      • Regional Motor Transport Office;
      • Regional Armoury;
    • Small Boat Division.
    • Crime Marine
  • Administration Bureau is responsible for general administration; personnel and establishment matters.
  • Support Bureau is responsible for:
    • management of the launch acquisition programmes;
    • training and assessment of Marine police personnel in navigation, seamanship, engineering, and safety; and
    • selection and acquisition of specialist equipment.
    • core property strategy in Marine Region

Headquarters

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/1881_Heritage_200905.jpg" caption="Former Marine Police station after renovation"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/HK_Marine_Police_Harbour_Division.jpg" caption="Sai Wan Ho Marine Police Regional Headquarters."] ::

The Marine Region had its headquarters at the Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound in Tsim Sha Tsui until 1996, when they were relocated to Sai Wan Ho. The old headquarters have now become a heritage tourism facility known as 1881 Heritage.

Gallery

File:HK SWH Tai Hong Street Marine Police Regional Headquarters sign.JPG|Sai Wan Ho Marine Police Regional Headquarters. File:HKPolice_MarineNorthDiv_1.jpg|Marine Police North Division. File:HKPolice MarineNorthDiv.jpg|Marine Police North Division. File:HKPolice MarineNorthDiv 2.jpg|Marine Police North Division. File:HK_MarinePoliceEastDivision.JPG|Marine Police East Division. File:Kat O Marine Police station.jpg|Kat O Police Post.

Fleet

Marine craft

Historic

File:HKPF Police Boat 3.JPG|Police Launch 3 (Sea Panther Class). File:Hong Kong Police Boat 5.jpg|Police Launch 5 which started to service in 2007 (Damen Stan). File:HKPF Police Patrol Boat-8.JPG|Police Launch 8. File:HKPF Police Patrol Boat-14.JPG|Police Launch 14. File:Hong Kong Police Boat 42.jpg|Police Launch 42. File:Police boat 44.jpg|Police Launch 44. File:HKPF Police Patrol Boat-54.JPG|Police Launch 54 (Protector Class). File:HKPF Police Patrol BoatNo.63.JPG|Police Launch 63 (Keka Class). File:HK Police Department Ship No80.jpg|Police Launch 80. File:HKPF Police Boat 82.jpg|Police Launch 82. File:Block of Shing Mun River Channel under Banyan Bridge, 2008 Summer Olympics 4.jpg|Marine Police set up a block in Shing Mun River Channel under the Banyan Bridge during the 2008 Summer Olympics. File:HK 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong PoliceFastPursuitCraft.JPG|Marine Police patrol the Shing Mun River Channel during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay. File:HK 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay in Hong Kong PoliceFastPursuitCraft2.JPG|Marine Police patrol the Shing Mun River Channel during the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay. File:Coming about.jpg|Marine Police supervises the dragonboat races in Shing Mun River Channel, Sha Tin. File:Marine Police boat PL3 Sea panther.jpg|Police Launch 3 Sea panther in Marine police headquarters

Firearms

  • Smith & Wesson Model 10- Standard issue sidearm for Marine Region (except Small Boat Division), 6 shot .38 revolver.
  • Glock 17- Standard issue pistol for Small Boat Division, loaded with 17 round of 9mm Parabellum magazines
  • Federal Model 201-Z Riot Gun – Standard issue anti-riot gun, loaded with less-than-lethal CS rounds.
  • Heckler & Koch MP5- Standard issue SMG, loaded with 30 round of 9mm Parabellum magazines
  • SIG 516 - Standard issue assault rifle for Small Boat Division. Loaded with 30 rounds of 5.56×45mm NATO magazines.

Fallen Officers

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Marine_police_headquarters_plague.jpg" caption="A plague listing at the Marine Police regional headquarters listing all line of duty deaths in the marine police"] ::

As of 2024, 3 marine police officers have been killed in the line of duty.

History

The Hong Kong 'Water Police' had a role from the earliest days of British Hong Kong. The first actual vessel was acquired in 1846 – a sailing 'gun-boat' with a crew of 17, which was used for anti-piracy work. The vessel and its entire crew were lost in a typhoon two years later. By then the unit consisted of approximately 40 men and three boats. Each Constable in a six-man crew was armed with a pistol and a cutlass.

After World War II, as part of a major reshaping of the police force, the service was renamed 'Marine Police'. As part of the response to the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, the Marine Police participated in Operation Tiderider aimed at quelling the ensuing riots.

References

References

  1. "Archived copy".
  2. "Hong Kong e-Legislation".
  3. "Chapter 1 History – The First Century | Hong Kong Police Force".
  4. "香港警務處－警隊歷史".
  5. [http://www.police.gov.hk/info/review/2009/tc/pdf/TC_E_p68.pdf 水警總區]
  6. (July 2009). "The Police". Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
  7. (August 2015). "Marine Region". Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.
  8. "Patrol Boats". HamiltonJet.
  9. "Hong Kong (Hong Kong), The market – Australasia and East Asia". Janes.
  10. "Oceania / Hong Kong Navy".
  11. (16 December 2024). "Marine Police Headquarters list of line of duty deaths plague".
  12. [https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/14_marine/history.html The History of Marine Region], HK Police
  13. "Chronology of Notable Occasions and Events {{!}} Marine {{!}} Hong Kong Police Force".

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hong-kong-police-forcesea-rescue-organizationsmaritime-safetymaritime-law-enforcement-agencies