Police may look into the need to replace the revolvers used by uniformed officers after they replace those of plainclothes detectives.
The force is selecting a pistol to replace the .38 calibre Colt Detective Special used by the detectives for 28 years. Its US manufacturer, Smith & Wesson, has stopped producing the short-barrel revolver.
Police sources said there may also be a need to replace the .38 calibre long-barrel revolvers used by uniformed officers. That pistol has also been used for more than 20 years.
Yesterday, Police Commissioner Dick Lee Ming-kwai said the programme to select a new handgun for detectives, which started in March 2002, had been slightly delayed.
'We originally expected that the tendering process could be completed earlier,' he said. 'But we have tested a few models and found that each has their strengths and weaknesses. When there are many choices, the selection is difficult.'
Mr Lee said he expected that the process would take another 18 months.