Beijing public security authorities have fired 11 heads of police substations in their latest crusade against law enforcement irregularities, local media report.

Head of the municipal Bureau of Public Security, Ma Zhenchuan, urged his colleagues to be friendly and fair to the public, observe limits to their powers, follow due procedure, and be self-disciplined in performing their duties.

Calling for law enforcement officers to behave themselves and respect the law sounds paradoxical and superfluous.

But it is not considering that Zhou Yongkang, Minister of Public Security, admonished police officers nationwide on July 31 to "resolutely stop malignant violations that offend the heavens and reason, and stir up public indignation."

Zhou's remark was a considered one.

Lack of respect for civil rights and abuse of mandatory measures have combined to create a negative image of police officers.

Many people have personal experience of the typically stiff, long faces of police officers in this country. In the first six months of this year, 54 per cent of complaints Beijing's municipal public security bureau received were about attitude problems.

Beijing police chief Ma blamed the problems at local police stations on officers' ignorance and neglect of their powers and duties.

From a police officer's point of view, public security has traditionally meant control at any cost. This philosophy allows officers to violate individual rights with the excuse of maintaining social stability.

The police force has earned a bad reputation for violations such as unwarranted searches, detention, confiscation of property, brutality and extortion. Calls to discipline the police force have intensified as the media become increasingly aggressive in raising legitimate concerns about law enforcement.

Since Zhou Yongkang assumed the top public security job late last year, he has tried hard to create a new image for the country's populous yet unpopular police force.

On January 22, the Ministry of Public Security published its "five prohibitions" aimed at illicit use of weapons, alcoholism and gambling among police officers, which are believed to be the main causes of police brutality and corruption.

The latest endeavour to repair the tarnished image of the police was the ministry's publication on August 7 of changes to previous decrees governing residence registration, traffic, vehicle and border control. The 30 changes aim to simplify procedures.

Despite comments that they were long overdue, the decisions did give the impression public security authorities are serious about their boss' vow to build a police force "for the people."

Zhou called on the country's public security apparatus to launch "a profound revolution in the philosophy of law enforcement." He urged police officers to demonstrate through their own performance they are "executing the law for the people."

At a July 31 meeting on rectifying police stations, Zhou again proposed to check the excesses of the police, refine law enforcement and improve the force's image.

Zhou's resolve and efforts to recover public confidence in the country's public security authorities have drawn applause because it may defuse a major threat to all law-abiding citizens.

As a positive reflection of the new central leadership's populist approach, a clean, just and law-abiding police force will provide a major boost to the public's sense of security.

As long as civil rights are compromised in the pursuit of order, or sacrificed in the name of public safety, there is no guarantee State power will not be used to bully individuals.

Both former President Jiang Zemin's proposal that the Communist Party represent the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and current President Hu Jintao's call for "power to be used for the people" stress the idea of curbing intrusive State power for the public good.

Transformation of the police force is a crucial move in completing the new administration's people-friendly image.

It is also an ideal starting point for cultivating constructive interaction between the public and government.

(China Daily August 13, 2003)