Cops react to gang violence -- in China
China's police authorities are encouraging
officers to shoot dangerous criminals - especially the notorious purse snatchers
in the country's south who sometimes chop the hands off victims who won't let
go.
Most countries around the world are working steadily and carefully to reduce violent confrontation between police and criminals. Once in a great while, there arises a cabal of violent crime that requires a temporary reversal of that policy.
China has a new and notorious gang of purse snatchers and street thieves — called the “hand choppers”.
The…call came yesterday from the Ministry of Public Security. Spokesperson Wu Heping told a Beijing news conference that police officers should be “courageous enough to open fire on violent criminals.”
Wu comments echoed security officials in Guangzhou City who said earlier this month that police in the Guangdong Province capital should shoot dangerous criminals. The Guangzhou official’s remarks were directed mainly at the so-called “hand-chopper” thieves who use motorcycles to steal handbags and sometimes resort to mayhem to separate victims from their belongings.
Wu said that while effective monitoring must be used to prevent firearm abuse, police officers should make guns a key weapon in fighting crime.
“When criminals threaten the lives of citizens and the police officers themselves, our officers can use their firearms - to the death,” Wu said. “This is covered by our laws, and it should be upheld.”
I’ve have friends and family who were — and are — career peace officers. Like most good cops, they’re not quick to rely on their guns. Sometimes they have to.
Posted: Wed - April 12, 2006 at 08:03 AM