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What about the policemen of early Hong Kong?

“ABCD, big head, green clothing; the thief escapes, the whistle is sounded.” This is a well-known limerick among the local Chinese in Hong Kong, sang to make fun of the policemen. “Big head” refers to the Sikh policemen who wrapped their heads, and the Chinese policemen who wear triangular bamboo hats; “green clothing” refers to their green-coloured uniforms. This limerick reflects in some ways the disapproving attitude people those days harboured toward the police. There was also a saying that “the worthy do not join the police force”. Today, though, this mind-set has changed somewhat.

In the early days of the port of Hong Kong, Chief Magistrate Captain William Caine was charged with maintaining public order. In the early years there were only 32 police officers, mainly drafted from the British Army Hong Kong Garrison to guard the barracks and the Government buildings. Because these police officers had little knowledge of Cantonese nor of Chinese affairs, their work was less than satisfactory.

On 1 May 1844, the Government passed a law to establish the police force. Police officers were recruited from the London Police Force. From 1845 onwards, Charles May and 2 subordinates came to Hong Kong and took up the positions of Commissioner of Police and superintendent. Charles May introduced the Irish police system and maintained strict disciplinary practices, while expanding the police force to 171, comprising mainly of European and Indian police officers. Meanwhile, Chinese police officers were also recruited. Hence Hong Kong began to boast its own police force.

Captain William Quin, who used to serve at the Police Force at Bombay, India, became the Commissioner of Police in Hong Kong in 1862. He decided to recruit police officers directly from India. In the beginning, the recruits from Bombay performed less than satisfactorily, and later the Sikh recruits from Punjab were better. Because Sikhs were required by their religion to wrap their heads in white cloth, they were exempted from wearing police hats.

Another renowned head of police is Francis Henry May, who took up the post of Commissioner of Police in 1893 at the young age of 33. He brought about many changes to the force, including setting up a police training school and mandating that all police officers be trained. He took decisive action in dealing with the plague epidemic and resolved severe cases of corruption, contributing to the positive reputation of the police force. He later became Colonial Secretary and in 1912 the 15th Governor of Hong Kong. He retired in 1919 after 20 years of public service.

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