Police in Jinan, East China's Shandong Province, patrol a night market on July 5, 2022, as part of the Public Security Ministry's 100-day campaign to crack down on gang crimes. Photo: CFP

 

 

China's public security authorities urged to further heighten police presence and patrols on streets, underlining prevention of extreme individual violence, as part of the ongoing 100-day campaign to improve the public's sense of security. 

In a recent notice to local public security departments, police and patrol officers, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said they should play their role well as a "safety valve" for public livelihood, urging to increase their presence and patrols on streets, populated public places such as schools, hospitals, night fairs and outdoor restaurants.

Specific working plans to address prominent public security problems, and forms of patrols such as patrolling at night should be flexibly adjusted based on local prominent security problems, the MPS said. The inspection on illegal items such as guns, explosives and knifes will also be raised.

The MPS also stressed rapid response in the face of emergency. Severe punishment and focus will be given to crimes related to women, children, students and other vulnerable groups. 

The 100-day national campaign aiming at cracking down on illegal behaviors was launched on June 25 in the wake of the restaurant assault in Tangshan, North China's Hebei Province. 

Last week, the Hebei provincial public security department announced its phased results of the 100-day campaign, saying 307 illegal cases were detected, 558 suspects and 135 criminals who were previously at large were arrested.

A series of grievous incidents like the one that occurred in Tangshan angered the public when they happened against the background of a national campaign to crack down on gang crimes.

On Monday, the Supreme People's Procuratorate reaffirmed the determination to wipe out all gang-related crime. In conclusion, through the three-year national campaign to crackdown on gang crimes from 2018 to 2021, the SPP said China has indicted 230,000 people who were engaged in mafia-like gangs and other crimes, and 2,987 people who acted as their protectors. 

Global Times