According to a China Police Daily report on December
14, Chinese police on patrols will be armed with a specially
designed revolver this year, the first time that the Ministry of
Public Security has invested in and designed a firearm for its
police force.
The design of the new 9mm revolver, which utilizes both rubber
bullets and live rounds, was finalized in November 2005.
"I have been working as a policeman in Anhui Province and
Shanghai for over 30 years. I have only used my pistol once," said
Wang Dongquan, who believes a firearm is and should only be used as
a deterrent.
This was echoed by Sun Min, a Shanghai policeman of two years'
standing, who admits to rarely having his pistol with him when he's
on patrol.
"Firing a gun isn't the only way to control a situation," Sun
said.
?
Wu Xiaoqing, a traffic police officer in Shanghai, isn't too
excited about the new revolver. He prefers to work without guns
because "I am afraid the revolver will go off."
Shi Lei, a member of the special police in Shanghai, said that
China's law specifically gives the police the right to fire a
weapon, and provides for the situations when he can do so.
But he admitted that any use must be substantiated, which can
add a lot of pressure on the police officer.
Hence, rubber bullets. Wang Lei, a professor with the Chinese
People's Public Security University, believes rubber bullets
provide an alternative for the police officer while at the same
time helping with law enforcement. "Lives of criminals should be
respected too," Wang said.
Choice of firearm
When police uniforms were changed six years ago, the question
was also raised as to what sort of firearm would help them carry
out their duties more effectively and efficiently.
A decision was made in favor of the revolver. Prof. Wang
explained that with its big casing, long grip and heavy caliber,
the revolver was the most practical choice. The amplitude of its
barrel is lower than the semi-automatic because of its lower center
of gravity. More important, its malfunction rate is much lower than
the semi-automatic, making it a much safer option.
Change also likely for Hong Kong police
The Hong Kong authorities are also considering changing the
firearms for its police force, from revolvers to semi-automatic
pistols.?
According to the Public Relations Branch of the Hong Kong Police
Force, the issue, which was first mooted last year, will be further
discussed this year.
Hong Kong police have armed themselves with revolvers made in
the US since 1844. In fact, most of the firearms exported to Hong
Kong were from the US, up until 1997, when the US restricted
exports.
They were also faced with the challenge of maintaining their
weapons, in particular the Colt .38 revolver, after it went out of
production in 1996.
In addition, their revolvers were soon no match for the type 54
pistols and AK-47 assault rifles brandished by criminals.
(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan, January 24, 2006)