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Police ordered to bring arrogance under arrest
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-05-14 10:04
Beijing police officers are being warned to tame their reputedly arrogant behavior or risk facing the penalties under a new code of conduct.
Officers, who have bullied or neglected members of the public, are now under orders to project a sympathetic and polite image.
The municipal police authority has circulated a code of conduct pamphlet that bans foul language and behavior commonly complained about by those seeking help.
Police officers had three months to adapt to the new rules and would be penalized from August if they failed to control ill temper at work, said the municipal public security bureau.
Violators faced reprimands, fines, or administrative and Party discipline in serious cases.
A bad attitude has become the most common complaint against officers in big cities like Beijing as power abuse and corruption, once common sources of public grievances, are waning under a continued harsh crackdown.
Police authority surveys showed a rising number of people who report crimes complain that officers respond with lines such as: "It's nothing to do with me. Go and bug someone else."; or "No evidence? Then don't bother us."
The code also bans officers from sounding sirens on police vehicles unnecessarily, hanging up on people who report crimes and responding with indifference to people who seek help.
The authority said penalties would be based on the investigations of the undercover inspectors and the reports of whistle-blowers.
Some officers have suggested the use of portable recorders, which will serve as a constant reminder to bad-tempered police on the one hand, and deter groundless accusations from some members of the public.
"The behavior campaign is good, but it is likely to fail without ways to ensure the rules are well implemented," said an officer who gave his surname as Wang. He doubted whether undercover monitoring would work as police inspection teams were usually short of hands.
Observers say the campaign is part of a major official drive to improve the image of Beijing before the 2008 Olympic Games.
During the week-long May Day holiday, the China National Tourism Administration issued a circular, making travel agencies and tour guides responsible for correcting tourists' bad behavior, including queue jumping, spitting, littering and clearing one's throat loudly in public.
The municipal authorities fined 89 people from 20 to 50 yuan (US$2.56 to 6.41) each for spitting in public during the holiday.
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