Guangzhou to replace local 'goon squads' with citywide force
'Silver Shield' will see notorious local security forces replaced by 30,000 citywide officers
Guangzhou plans to set up 30,000-strong auxiliary police force to replace its notorious local security squads, although some residents are sceptical about how much the move will do to end abuses of power.
The programme - dubbed "Silver Shield" by the Guangzhou police - would create a citywide force of baton-carrying officers to supplement Guangzhou's regular police force of more than 30,000.
The plan, reported by The Southern Metropolis News yesterday, is awaiting approval from the city government and is expected to be enacted next year.
Squads now hired by sub-districts, towns and villages and communities have long been criticised for poor training and management. Brutality and abuses of power have been blamed for igniting or escalating incidents of unrest, including the riot last year in Zengcheng .
The auxiliary force would receive 30 per cent of its funding from the city, with the rest being shouldered by district governments.
Its members would be recruited and overseen directly by the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, which would assign them to various community security details and patrols. Each auxiliary police officer would be equipped with a baton and a stab-resistant uniform.