Local police bureaux have been told to open their doors to the
public in a bid to increase transparency, a senior traffic
management official said yesterday.
So if you have ever wondered how authorities handle traffic
emergencies, issue fines or conduct annual vehicle checks, now is
your chance to find out.
Yang Jun, director of the traffic management bureau at the
Ministry of Public Security, said yesterday that traffic management
departments across the country should open regularly to the public
to increase transparency and improve the relationship between
police and local people.
The move will help improve the public's awareness of road
safety, reduce accidents and give people a better understanding of
police work, he said.
"The police serve the interests of the people and the people are
the foundation for our work," he said.
"We will try to make the open days a regular event."
The program was launched in 36 major cities, including Beijing,
Shanghai and Tianjin, but will later be rolled out across the
country, Yang said.
Everyone will be welcome to visit their local traffic control
headquarters or vehicle management bureaux and speak with police
teams, he said.
Officers will also show people what to do if they are involved
in a traffic accident, including how to give first aid.
The first open days were held yesterday in Beijing, Shanghai,
Sichuan and Hainan.
In Beijing, more than 30 people visited the traffic control
headquarters to see the central monitoring system, the Legal
Evening News reported.
"On the big screen, we can see exactly where traffic jams and
accidents are happening in the city," Zou Ping, an official with
the traffic management bureau, told visitors.
He said the headquarters will be equipped with even more
monitors in time for next year's Olympics.
At the vehicle management bureau in Beijing's Xicheng district,
visitors also got to see some of the latest vehicles and
equipment.
Taxi driver Sun Min said the visit had given her a much better
understanding of what police departments do.
"I hope the open days become regular events so more people can
find out about police work," she said.
(China Daily September 21, 2007)
