Marine Region


 * Marine Police redirects here. See Marine Police Force for the predecessor of Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit.

The Marine Region is a branch of the Hong Kong Police Force, more widely known as the Marine Police. The marine police patrol 1651 km2 of waters within the territory of Hong Kong, including 263 islands. The Marine Region with about 3,000 officers, and a fleet of 142 in total, made up of 70 launches and 72 craft is the largest of any civil police force.

Overview
The Marine Region involves about 3,000 officers policing some 13,000 local craft and a total maritime population of 14,100. In addition to normal marine policing functions, the marine police are also responsible for countering illegal immigration and smuggling at sea.

To undertake this work, the Marine Region additionally mount shore patrol to police the smaller islands and isolated communities with no land transport to other parts of the territory, and participate 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.

Since 2007, the Marine Region has developed a new, two-part operational strategy called Versatile Maritime Policing Response (VMPR) which has come into operation in phases, providing an improved police service at reduced cost with an enhanced Command and Control System and faster craft offering a more flexible policing response.

Organisation
The Marine Region comprises a Regional Headquarters and two sea Districts.

The Region comprises:
 * Operations Formation is responsible for all operational matters at Regional level, including:
 * Regional Crime Units investigating crimes and syndicated illegal immigration by sea;
 * RCCC;
 * Logistics Unit;
 * Small Boat Division.
 * Administration Formation is responsible for general administration; personnel and establishment matters.
 * Support Formation 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
The Marine Region had its headquarters at the Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound in Tsim Sha Tsui till 1996, when they were relocated to Sai Wan Ho. The old headquarters have now become a heritage tourism facility known as 1881 Heritage.

Fleet
Marine craft
 * 🇦🇺 BSC Marine Group patrol vessels
 * 🇦🇺 Protector (Pacific Forum) class – 6 small patrol boats
 * 🇭🇰 Hong Kong Shipyards Sea Panther class 1988 – 2 large command boats
 * replaced Hong Kong United Dockyard Sea Lion class command boats 1965 – 2 (retired 1993)
 * 🇳🇱 Damen Stan Mk I patrol boats 1980–1981 – 10 built by Chung Wah Shipyard 1990s
 * 🇳🇱 Damen Stan Mk III patrol boats 1984–1985 – 16 built by Chung Wah Shipyard 1990s
 * 🇳🇱 Damen Stan 2600 patrol boats
 * HamiltonJet 13m Aluminium patrol boats
 * 🇦🇺 ASC Keka Class 30-metre patrol launches 2000 – six built by Cheoy Lee Shipyard
 * replaced six Damen Class Mk1 patrol launches
 * Rigid inflatable hull vessels
 * Tai Fei – fast patrol vessels
 * speed boats

Historic

 * 22’ Police Launch 1970 – 11
 * 30’ Fairey Marine Spear Class patrol boat 1981 – 9
 * 40’ Jetstream Class patrol craft 1971 – 3
 * 45’ converted tugs pre-1995 – 8
 * 45’ converted tugs pre-1975 – 2
 * Islander Class patrol craft 1960 – 1
 * Hong Kong United Dockyard Sea Rover Class patrol craft 1955 – 6
 * Pacific Forum Class Patrol boat 1993 – 6
 * 78’ Vosper Thornycroft coastal patrol craft 1972–73 – 7 (retired 1993)

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