Tingtong European Police Detachment

[V]

Constable Harper, Sargeant Fitzpatrick and Constable Wells...

Tingtong Province is a wealthy rural area with good trade links and the European colonised port of Tingtong that has become a 'free' city, much like Shanghai would. Tingtong city and the surrounding area is patroled by a European Police force, European troops and locally recruited police troops. At the time when the project is set, Tingtong province is plagued by bandits, picking on trade ships and caravans, and the insiduous 'Cult of the Jade Dragon' who are gaining popularity and wish to rid the province of its european influence and control.

The officers see in the photograph are ex-British soldiers now serving in the Tingtong Police Force. They are seen here in the normal working dress of the force for general day-to-day operations and patrols outside the city limits. The sargeants are distinguished by the white ribbon across the chest. They are armed with a truncheon and a service revolver. A standard patrol would consist of 2 - 3 European constables and 6-10 Chinese Policemen. The native troops dress is of a similar pattern, the same colours but with a different headgear to distinguish them from their European counterparts. They are generally armed with rifles, though some on duty in the city carry pistols or shotguns. These small patrols police the city and the rural areas around the city but they obviously have far less influence and control once they leave the city. While in the city most locals are very friendly to Europeans, deriving their income from them, the locals in the rural areas are far less inclined towards dealing with them. This can lead to problems for the police when trying to track criminals and bandits outside the city.

In recent months the police force has been called upon more and more to deal with armed bandits and members of the cult that have been targetting Europeans and their business and also those locals who support them. For this reason the British gunboat, HMS Firefly, has recently been stationed in Tingtong and has deployed its complement of marines and naval troops to bolster the cities garrison and conduct patrols along the Ying and Yang rivers. Further troops are on the way from other British garrisons and other European states as the tensions in the area rise and the threat from the Jade Dragon cult becomes more pronounced.

All stock Westwind figures apart from the centre figure that had his arm removed and replaced with one from the Perry plastic ACW cavalry box set.

[joroas]

Nice figures and fluff.

[odd duck]

very nice Fig.s! and the background story sounds like you'll have some interesting assignments for these officers.

[twrchtrwyth]

Like those, nice uniform colours.

[Malamute]

Nice idea, looking forward to seeing the Chinese policemen. What figures are you going to use for them?
A great name for the Province too

[Gluteus Maximus]

Great figures! The Perry arm conversion is a very good idea and one that has much potential in Victorian gaming- it definitely needs to be stolen for future use 

Now, this might be a very silly question, but are these modelled on actual Chinese Police uniforms or have you designed your own here?

Tingtong must be a pretty rough place to need Police patrols of that size!

I'm sure that will mean lots of thrilling adventures 

[Admiral Benbow]

Very original and nice story!