Police need tighter rules to govern behavior, experts say

Judicial specialists on Sunday called for more specific rules to govern police officers after a video showing an officer arguing with two women on May 21 raised a public outcry.

The video, which is around five minutes long, shows the uniformed officer in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, engaged in a loud－some say abusive－argument with the women.

The women were standing on the street when the officer drove up in an official car and demanded that they show him their identification cards. One of the women later said that the officer's check was apparently random.

When the women responded that they were not carrying their ID cards, the officer left the police car and physically dragged them to the back seat, one of them－known online as Daisy Mengbing－said later.

As he drove away with the two in custody, the officer unleashed a torrent of shouting that many say displayed a negative attitude.

The exchange was captured on video. Daisy Mengbing posted the clip and recounted her version of events on the internet.

"The police officer refused to show his police license and dragged us to the car for disturbing public order," the post said.

The women were taken to a police station in Shenzhen's Baoshan district. Both were quickly released.

The officer involved in the incident has been removed from duty and the women were given an apology, but more is needed to govern the police, experts said.

According to Dai Peng, director of the Criminal Investigation College at People's Public Security University of China, every police officer in the country should improve the qualify of enforcement and pay more attention to attitude－"or else conflict between residents and police will be intensified".

"The argument in Shenzhen I think is an individual case, but it reflects serious problems and shows residents' enhanced awareness about protecting their rights," Dai said.

Under Chinese law, residents should cooperate with a police officer's ID card request, Dai said. But no law requires residents to carry their ID card with them at all times.

Wang Qi, a police officer in Beijing's Haidian district, said: "The law says the police can check a resident's ID card if the person is suspicious. But who looks suspicious and should receive a check depends on the police themselves."

Wang added that he and his colleagues always show their official identification to people immediately, because that's what the law requires.

Zhao Li, a Beijing criminal lawyer, said the best way to reduce conflict is to improve legislation and make rules governing police more specific and understandable.

"The police officer in Shenzhen shouted at the women that he could detain them for 24 hours under the law. But there is no penalty or compensation if a short-term detention is found to be wrong," Zhao said.

He said officers should be required to show evidence supporting a decision to hold someone.

"Allowing the police to take someone into custody without reasonable cause can bring on abuses of power－and that's not good," Zhao said.

He suggested that provisions in the law should be amended so that it's clear to police officers what they may and may not do.