HONG KONG: POLICE FORCE PREPARE FOR HANDOVER

Описание: (26 Jun 1997) English/Nat
At midnight next Monday, Hong Kong's police force will abandon the prefix "Royal" and all 27-and-a-half thousand officers will transfer their service to Chinese rule.
But some are refusing to abandon their allegiance to Britain's Queen and are threatening to resign the moment Hong Kong's sovereignty is returned to China.
For most officers though, it is business as usual after the handover, except for some small changes.
For more than 30 years Chief Superintendent Harry Blud has been on the beat in Hong Kong.
Born in Britain, the Territory is now his patch.
But on Monday he will no longer serve the Royal Hong Kong Police Force.
As the Territory's sovereignty is handed back to China, a small minority of police officers have refused to serve the new Chinese-led Hong Kong government.
But although Chief Superintendent Blud plans to one day return to his native Scotland, his backing for the new regime is clear.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"My allegiance is to Hong Kong. Although I don't intend to retire here I plan to stay until I'm 55 - that'll give me 37 years in the force which will be long enough in any job and then it will be time to move on to somewhere else."
SUPER CAPTION: Chief Superintendent Harry Blud, Royal Hong Kong Police Force
On Thursday Chief Superintendent Blud is picking up his new post-handover police badges.
On the stroke of midnight on June 30th references to the former colonial ruler will be quietly dropped.
The regal crown is replaced by the bauhina flower - the new emblem of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (S-A-R) Government of China.
Cap badges, buttons and helmet transfers have all been changed.
But while many officers are gearing up for the handover, a group of eight policeman are threatening to resign because of it.
Senior Officer Ken Chik held a press conference Thursday to declare his decision to resign rather than serve the new Government.
He says he represents eight policemen who are too scared to reveal their identities.
The group of Hong Kong Chinese officers are demanding the same rights as expatriate officers who were offered early retirement with full benefits if they chose not to serve under the new government.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It is our personal belief, our belief in democracy, and our freedom of choice, and that is the only we choose not to serve the S-A-R government."
SUPER CAPTION: Ken Chik, Senior Inspector
The officers have been told they can retire, but will not receive benefits until they reach formal retirement age.
But whatever the outcome of their case, Hong Kong's police officers will be out in force during the handover.
At midnight on June 30th this command centre will be a hive of activity.
It is here that police will monitor the hundreds of thousands of expected extra visitors.
The police handover game-plan has swung into action early, with special units up and running in the countdown to the transfer of power.

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