.gif)
Police Tactical Unit (Hong Kong)
Encyclopedia
The Police Tactical Unit (Abbreviation
: PTU; ) is a paramilitary
riot control
unit of the Hong Kong Police Force
. The Police Tactical Unit provides an immediate manpower reserve for use in any 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 Police Tactical Unit is often referred as the 'Blue Berets', which is in reference to the blue beret
s worn as part of the uniform.
.
This Unit is made up of eleven Companies, comprising in total about 2 thousand officers. Each company
(under the command of a Superintendent
) is made up of 4 platoon
s, each led by an Inspector
or Senior Inspector. A platoon
comprises 32 Officers with 1 Station Sergeant
(senior NCO) and 8 Sergeant
s.
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
: PTU; ) is a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
riot control
Riot control
Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
unit of the Hong Kong Police Force
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
. The Police Tactical Unit provides an immediate manpower reserve for use in any emergency
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
, Unit companies are attached to all land Regions and are available for internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
, crowd control
Crowd control
Crowd control is the controlling of a crowd, to prevent the outbreak of disorder and prevention of possible riot. Examples are at soccer matches, when a sale of goods has attracted an excess of customers, refugee control, or mass decontamination and mass quarantine situations . It calls for gentler...
, anti-crime operations, disaster response and riot control throughout Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The Police Tactical Unit is often referred as the 'Blue Berets', which is in reference to the blue beret
Beret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
s worn as part of the uniform.
Organisation
The Police Tactical Unit Base and training camp is located in FanlingFanling
Fanling , also known as Fan Ling and Fan Leng, is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the North District...
.
This Unit is made up of eleven Companies, comprising in total about 2 thousand officers. Each company
Company
A company is a form of business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits. This collection, group or association of persons can be...
(under the command of a Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
) is made up of 4 platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
s, each led by an Inspector
Inspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
or Senior Inspector. A platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
comprises 32 Officers with 1 Station Sergeant
Station sergeant
Station sergeant was a rank in the London Metropolitan Police and continues as a rank in the Hong Kong Police Force, and Royal Barbados Police Force...
(senior NCO) and 8 Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
s.
Firearms
- Smith & Wesson Model 10
- Remington 870Remington 870The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense. It is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.-Development:The Remington 870 was...
- Federal Model 201-Z Riot Gun
- AR-15AR-15The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
Vehicles
- Mercedes-Benz VarioMercedes-Benz VarioThe Mercedes-Benz Vario is a heavy van manufactured by Mercedes-Benz. Originally launched as the T2 in 1986, the Vario gained its current name when it was facelifted in 1996. The T2 van itself succeeded the Mercedes-Benz L van series.The bodyshell remained relatively unchanged since production...
- Mercedes-Benz SprinterMercedes-Benz SprinterThe Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light and heavy commercial vehicle, built by Daimler AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a van, chassis cab and minibus, and sold as a Mercedes model, except in the U.S. where it is built from complete knock down kits and was sold by Freightliner until 2010 when Mercedes...
- Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
Unimog U5000UnimogUnimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
armoured personnel carrierArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
.
In popular culture
- The unit is portrayed in the 2003 film PTUPTU (film)PTU , is a 2003 Hong Kong crime thriller produced and directed by Johnnie To, starring Simon Yam, Maggie Siu, Lam Suet and Ruby Wong.-Synopsis:...
, directed by Johnnie ToJohnnie ToJohnnie To Kei-Fung, born 22 April 1955, is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas...
. - 2007 TVB series On The First BeatOn The First BeatOn The First Beat is a TVB modern action series broadcast in June 2007.The series is a direct sequel to 2005's The Academy . The main cast features Ron Ng, Sammul Chan and Chin Ka Lok from the original series and new cast including Michael Tao, Sonija Kwok, Joey Yung, Kenny Kwan and Kate Tsui...
- The unit is also portrayed in the 2009 film series Tactical UnitTactical Unit (film series)Tactical Unit is a series of films produced by Johnnie To with studio Milkyway Image, featuring the adventures of two columns of PTU officers, the Kowloon West Police Station and its CID officers, of Hong Kong. The films are in Cantonese.The film series spun off from the feature film directed by...
, directed by Johnnie ToJohnnie ToJohnnie To Kei-Fung, born 22 April 1955, is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas...
and with the same leading actors and actress of the 2003 film PTUPTU (film)PTU , is a 2003 Hong Kong crime thriller produced and directed by Johnnie To, starring Simon Yam, Maggie Siu, Lam Suet and Ruby Wong.-Synopsis:...
. - The PTU also appear briefly in The Sniper 2009.