Family association builds discipline in SW China police

Police forces in China's southwest borderland have found an unusual way to beef up discipline among the ranks, as mothers and wives of the policemen have come together to form a supervisory group.

In Xishuangbanna, China's frontier prefecture bordering Myanmar and Laos, a total of 180 police family members elected a new 30-strong committee for their rotary-club-like Police Family Group at a banquet during the Spring Festival that fell this week.

"The family group makes us closely connected to keep track of how our husbands are doing," Luo Xingping, the newly elected chairperson and wife of the police head, told Xinhua.

She initiated the building of the family-based network, citing the traditionally family-oriented values of the Chinese community as "an effective guarantee for police conduct."

"Our group is comprised of 180 wives and mothers and we volunteered to share information about our sons and husbands beyond working hours," explained Luo. "It gives us a sense of security and it is also welcomed by police authorities."

Police in Xishuangbanna work one of the toughest beats in China. Drug trafficking runs wild here, as the area borders the Golden Triangle, the notorious drug production base in southeast Asia.

"My husband is doing a risky job. Sometimes, I'm very jittery and crave more knowledge about his work," Luo said. "That's how the Family Group initially came to my mind."

Guo Bing, the police head, said, "Bumper profits of the drug trade indeed make our police more likely to be corrupted and collude with drug gangs.

"But family members can sniff out any signs of trouble and pull them back on track."

Group members keep in contact with each other via e-mail, text messages and online instant messaging service QQ. The committee will sum up and deliver a "police integrity report" every month to the police discipline department. Each member gets a 30-U.S.-dollar monthly subsidy for their efforts.

Aini, 42, the mother of a freshman policeman became vice chairperson of the committee. She was battling intestinal cancer when her son, Xu Zhengsi, took on the uniform.

"Mom has been my source of encouragement," said Xu. "Her involvement in my work has pushed me to cut a good figure when I'm on duty."

Aini once worried about her son as he's always on the go and had little time for conversation with her. Now Aini rests assured as she "found many comforts by talking with committee members."

Also, the committee members have regular interviews with policemen to relieve their working pressure.

"Offences such as gambling, gun abuse and corruption substantially dropped thanks to the family committee," Gao claimed.