He calls on officers nationwide to remain strongly dedicated to Party and people

President Xi Jinping has called on the country's police officers to remain committed to serving the people, be loyal guardians of the Party and the people, and demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and dedication.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to a primary-level police force in Zhangzhou, Fujian province.

Recently, members of the "Zhangzhou 110" police unit wrote to Xi, reporting on their work and expressing their determination to fulfill duties on the new journey.

In his reply letter, Xi lauded the unit's police officers for their dedication and hard work at the grassroots level in serving the public and maintaining social stability for the people.

He emphasized that the police bear the important responsibility of safeguarding the people's well-being and the country's peace, calling on police officers nationwide to uphold fine traditions, devote themselves to wholeheartedly addressing the needs and concerns of the people, and work diligently to protect the safety of the public.

In China, "Dial 110 in case of emergency" is a well-known phrase. The "Zhangzhou 110" unit is one of the exemplary primary-level units within China's police forces.

Since 1990, it has pioneered and continuously improved a rapid response mechanism tied to the 110 police emergency call service, playing a significant role in combating crime, maintaining public security and serving the community.

While working in Fujian in the 1990s, Xi visited the police unit three times to inspect and guide its work. During an inspection tour in 1996, Xi, who was then deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, emphasized that the work of the 110 police emergency call service is fundamental to serving the public, according to a report by the People's Daily Overseas Edition.

The emergency call service is an important channel for the Party committee to connect with the people, and it also strengthens the bond between public security agencies and the people, Xi said at that time, praising the unit's police officers as "people's guardians".

Previously, public security officers were considered to be mainly responsible for handling cases such as maintaining public order and combating crime. After the "Zhangzhou 110"police unit was established, citizens found they could also seek assistance from the police for such matters as helping elderly people who lose their way return home, or mediating neighborhood disputes.

However, there were discussions in the unit about the duties of police. In one case, a local pregnant woman dialed 110 to ask the police to take her to the hospital, since her family members were away and she was about to deliver. Police officers helped her, but some complained that they worked like housekeepers instead of police.

A lively debate led to a consensus: As people's police under the leadership of the Party, serving the public is an unshirkable duty. Consequently, the "Zhangzhou 110" police unit established a principle: "The people's difficulties are our difficulties, and the people's satisfaction is our greatest wish."

Over the years, the "Zhangzhou 110" police unit has made many institutional innovations and reforms. It has also improved its speed in handling incidents with the help of modern technology.

"Compared to fighting crime, it's more often that we offer assistance to ordinary people. When we respond one second earlier, that's one second sooner that the public can feel at ease," said Wang Shaohui, a police officer of the "Zhangzhou 110" unit.

Wan Lin, another officer in the unit, said that upon reading the reply letter from Xi, he felt greatly inspired.

"General Secretary Xi emphasized in the letter that the police bear the important responsibility of safeguarding the people's well-being and the country's peace. This has provided direction and injected strong motivation for us young police officers to fulfill our duties," Wan said.

"I will respond to every call for help and resolve every dispute with care and dedication, ensuring peace and tranquility in our community," he added.

Yang Jie in Fuzhou contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn