Whenever prominent political figures are in town, they are sure to be flanked by a motorcycle squad from the Hong Kong Police Force Escort Group.
The team of elite motorcyclists ensure visiting VIPs arrive at their destinations safely and on time.
Force Escort Group Headquarter Team Leader Steven Chong said, depending on the status and ranking of the VIPs, escort duties are divided into four categories.
"The highest level, grade one, is called Enhanced Green Phase Escort, in which we escort heads of state or top-ranking leaders. Grade two is called Green Phase Escort. Grade three is Shadow Escort and grade four is Outrider Escort."
The team fine-tunes its operations according to different scenarios. For example, a three-arrowhead formation is used for grade two escort operations.
The nearly 60-strong team is comprised of officers from five regional traffic units. They were handpicked for the job after passing a series of challenging tasks.
The screening tests include navigating through single serpentine and two-cone serpentine obstacles to test officers’ riding skills and see how smoothly they can steer a motorcycle at slow speed.
The examination also includes avoiding collision. Candidates have to brake at high speeds and stop and steer before a specific point to show they can act swiftly in an emergency.
Escort officers are equipped with tailor-made protective jackets. They are covered with more reflective materials than ordinary traffic police uniforms, are rain-resistant and are wearable year-round.
Apart from dealing with unexpected weather changes, officers must also be ready for various emergencies.
Force Escort Group Headquarter Team Sergeant Kenneth Tse, who joined the team more than a decade ago, said careful timing is essential during operations.
"During one of my escort deployments, we were alerted that the venue where the VIPs were heading was not ready.
"We had to slow down and immediately design a new route to the venue with an additional 15-minute driving time. But we also had to make sure the VIPs did not feel we were wandering.
"We must have accurate time management and a good understanding of the traffic conditions nearby."
In 2016 members of the Force Escort Group were mobilised in more than 100 operations.
In addition to VIP motorcade duties, they also escort People’s Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison armoured vehicles and high-risk prisoners, and provide protection when transporting national treasures.
