Central Police Station [????- ] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Central Police Station [????- ]

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Submitted by annelisec on Thu, 2011-01-13 11:45.

Submitted by 80sKid on Wed, 2011-04-13 11:42.

big file but has all you ever needed to know about the history of every building in the compound with photos, diagrams, anecdotes etc. Impressive. 

http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/report/eiareport/eia_1912010/PDF/0095646_EIA%20Vol%20II_Combined.pdf

Submitted by sf (not verified) on Wed, 2011-04-13 13:06.

Back in '67, my school took us youngsters on a tour of the Central Police Station. The day started out with a cool ride at the back of a Bedford police truck. When we got to the station, a very friendly policeman acted as a tour guide and showed us kids around. I remember being shown the 999 emergency call centre with old switchboard type telephones and a glass wall panel full of square boxes. Inside each square box was the name of a bank or jewelry store in town. We were told this was the store burglary alarm system connected to the police station. The highlight of the day came when we were taken to the police armory. Us boys just went nut when we were allowed to handle and dry fire a .38 revolver, shotgun and M1 carbine.

The by-invitation-only tour was a PR exercise to build up relationship between the police and citizens during that trying 67 HK riot time. It obviously worked since 40+ years later, I still remember the event of that day and the thrill of touching a real gun for the first time in my life.

Submitted by 80sKid on Wed, 2011-04-13 14:49.

Hey sf - you'll be pleased to hear they're keeping the armoury. not sure if dry firing assault weapons will be included ...

Submitted by tngan on Wed, 2011-04-13 15:18.

Hi there,

I had had my turn of visiting the then newly inaugurated Happy Valley Police Station in the early 1970's.   An assortment of arms was on display on a long bench in a meeting room for us.  I could recall the following:

1.    0.38 service revolver (without bullets), I could not remember the brand.  The sargent disassemble the gun to show us how it works;

2.    Remington shot gun.  We were shown how to load the weapon using duds.

3.    Some sort of carbine, I was unable to recall the model

4.    Special gun for shooting what they call [wooden bullet] for crowd control, which would be blasted toward the ground slightly before a crowd.  A dud sample of the wooden bullet (painted in red) was also available to us;

5.    Rattan shields. We were told the rattan stems (not the mash) could withstand 0.22 bullets;

6.    Hand cuffs, sticks;

7.    Dud tear gas/smoke cans.  We were even shown how to pull the pin;

8.    Old and heavy type of bullet proof vests;

9.    We were also being led to the gate of detention rooms, but were not allowed to go in for a detailed as there were detentionees in some of the cells.

Back in those days the Police were still wearing shorts and white knee high socks for their summer uniform.

My 2 cents,

T

Submitted by annelisec on Sat, 2011-05-28 20:21.

Here are a few: There are more at:

http://sc.epd.gov.hk/gb/www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/report/eiareport/eia...

 

 

report

 

Submitted by sf (not verified) on Sun, 2011-05-29 05:58.

I remember this lane well. It had to be one of the narrowest and steepest street lane on HK Island back in the days. A few very serious traffic accidents took place there when vehicle brakes would fail while going down that steep lane.

There were also a few prison breaks at Victoria Gaol over the years. One particular violent break involved 12 prisoners overpowering 2 policeman escorting them to court and seizing their revolvers. They shot both policemen but were trapped when a very alert police guard  slammed shut the corridor gate on them before they could make their way out.

The other attempted escape was a rather comical one. A prisoner somehow managed to slip away unnoticed and found a policeman uniform inside an empty office. He put the uniform on and tried to casually walk out of the place as one of the boys going off duty. The poor fit of his newly borrowed police attire however immediately got him noticed at the main entrance and he was rearrested on the spot and resent back to prison.

 

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 2013-02-01 11:57.

Barbara Anslow writes:

In summer of 1938 I was sent from Secretariat to work at CPS for a month during the regular stenographer's sick leave. I had to go up heaps of steps past smelly shops to get to it.

I worked for the Commissioner of Police, Thomas Henry King, who was also the Chief Officer, Fire Brigade, who used to dictate minutes to himself for me to type in the files!

My office was a tiny alcove partitioned off from a large room occupied by Chinese clerks, and the British Secretary to the Police Department, Mr. B. Murray. In addition to shorthand and typing, I had to manipulate a small internal telephone exchange which terrified me at first.

T.H King's office was next door.  On one side of these rooms was a verandah.  The Chief Chinese Clerk often appeared here, and could be seen flattening himself against the wall and sidling along unto he could peep into Mr King's office to decide if he, THK, could be interrupted with a message or something.

As I remember it, the windows of our rooms overlooked not the courtyard, but the other side of the building. They were on an upper floor, probably the first floor.  Higher up was the office of the Deputy Commissioner, W. R. Scott (who later was executed by the Japs in Stanley).

I didn't actually see very much of THK, and had a lot of free time which enabled me to get  on with the current story-writing.

Sorry I didnt take any photos at the time!

Barbara also mentions the CPS in her diary entry for 14-15 Dec 1941, when she was working in the Air Raid Shelters beneath Government House:

Central Police Station bombed badly in afternoon, several killed.  Felt the concussion even in the tunnel.