Reforms to police force in China are a step forward

The police officer's lot on the mainland is not a happy one. Low pay, bureaucratic procedures and a lack of respect from citizens make for a frustrating job. Graft, bribe-taking and extortion among the ranks are well documented, while there are plenty of media accounts of shirking of duties and acting above the law. Recently announced reforms that aim to improve efficiency and image could not have been more timely.

More than 100 measures, covering law enforcement, domestic security, administration and personnel have been approved by Beijing. The goals of making the police an effective force and boosting public acceptance are to be attained by 2020. But that is a short time frame for problems that are deep-rooted and have manifested themselves over several decades. How serious authorities take implementation will be key to overcoming the challenges.

Of particular concern is the low regard that citizens have for law enforcers. That is perhaps to be expected given the nature of scandals uncovered by journalists or circulated through social media. Poor policing was in large part behind the New Year's Eve stampede in Shanghai that left 36 dead; senior officers were dining at a nearby expensive Japanese restaurant at the time. But that is only one of untold numbers of accounts, among them brutal beatings, wrongful convictions, torture, extortion and using positions of authority to give favoured treatment to relatives and friends.

The reforms will require police to video criminal interrogations to improve fairness in enforcing the law. It is a worthy step, but will be of limited value unless those accused have proper legal representation. The Ministry of Public Security's operations will also be revamped to ensure that the focus of policing is on crime prevention. A top-down approach in the bureaucracy has been blamed for low morale; decisions are often made by officials in Beijing and at the provincial level, with little understanding of local conditions.

Frontline officers have long complained of being over-worked, excessively tied to desks filing lengthy reports and having insufficient resources to carry out investigations. Police worldwide express such concerns, although they are not an excuse for abusive and unlawful behaviour. Reforming the system is much needed, but policing standards and public perceptions will take time to change and are heavily dependent on the rule of law, oversight and resolve.