Nearly 5,000 police officers at all of Beijing's 363 grass-roots police substations yesterday started to report their work to residents in their precincts.

The report meetings, the first of their kind, will take place over the next 10 days, said Yu Hongyuan, vice-director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau.

Zhang Xiaolai, head of the police substation of Er'longlu, a community in Xicheng District of downtown Beijing, was the first to report his work to local residents Wednesday.

Each police officer's report session requires a minimum of 50 local residents from different walks of life to be in attendance, said Yu.

In his one-and-half-hour report, Zhang not only dealt with routine issues such as public order, criminal cases, permanent and floating population and residence registration services, but also dealt with negligence, corruption and abuses of power.

"I cannot predict at present how the new system will improve local policing. But the idea to make police officers interact with the public is constructive," Liu Peizhao, one of the resident delegates attending the report yesterday, told China Daily.

Liu is a member of the Xicheng District Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the advisory body to the local government.

He said by reporting on detailed aspects of police station's work, Zhang Xiaolai touched on some problems that many local people care most about, such as the management of floating population and renting houses, and the frequent theft of bicycles.

"Residents' scrutiny is likely to encourage the police to work more prudently," said Liu.

"Our police usually have an image of bravery in fighting against crimes. But they also play an important role in settling disputes between neighbours," Liu Meiping, an elderly resident who attended the report meeting, told China Daily yesterday.

"I'm basically satisfied with the work of Zhang and his station. They have indeed made a lot of efforts to safeguard public order. My suggestion is that the police officers should improve their communications with residents, such as visiting households regularly," said Liu Meiping.

All the 50-plus delegates at yesterday's report meeting were asked to fill out an evaluation form on the performance of the police substation's head.

The evaluation form includes 13 items including the effectiveness of local police officers, corruption, ad hoc fines and negligence.

Residents' feedback will be recorded in a police dossier, said Yu Hongyuan.

Yu said the reports will take place twice a year - from June 1-10 and December 1-10.

"The new method of reporting is aimed at improving ties between the police and the public and letting residents monitor us more strictly. It may help improve the image of local police as well as the community's confidence in public security," said Yu.

(China Daily December 1, 2004)