Chapter 433 - Police Expansion

"I don't believe that's a good idea. This way, the common folk will be terrified. One moment of carelessness on the road and they're grabbed for labor. You may think you're correcting illegal behavior, but they'll assume we're pressing gang labor." Dongmen Chuiyu considered for a moment before continuing. "This is different from stealing or fighting. Everyone knows those are wrong—but no one thinks walking is against the law. We need publicity to make traffic rules ingrained in people's hearts before we can implement punishment. Let's focus on education and publicity first. For about half a year."

"Doesn't that still require people?" Shan Daoqian lost interest. "I can't establish something like a road administration bureau myself, can I?" But this thought suddenly excited him. He came from a railway background and was intimately familiar with the self-contained system of railway departments, large and small. Looking at the current situation, the transportation authority of the future Crossing Empire would undoubtedly be his. If he established a road administration now, his transportation department would have its own law enforcement arm. In the future, there might be a transportation public security bureau, transportation procuratorate, transportation court...

Shan Daoqian's mind wandered. When he had worked in the railway department, he had sneered at this all-encompassing system. But when it came to him wielding power within such a system, he suddenly found it quite reasonable. This kind of psychology was probably human nature.

"Transportation management should still fall under the police to avoid multi-headed management. In the end, no one handles matters, but everyone comes to collect fees," Wu De made the final call, dashing Shan Daoqian's little fantasy. "Don't underestimate these so-called expedient measures—many abuses and bad policies originated as expedient measures. Once the situation grows larger, change becomes difficult. If we're going to do it, let's do it right from the root."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Traffic police aren't needed for now. Let's pursue more traffic regulation publicity. In the East Gate Market—I think we should double the strength of the East Gate Market Police Station—no, or perhaps simply upgrade it to a police bureau..."

"Whether it's upgraded or not doesn't matter," Dongmen Chuiyu said. "The key is adding people. Nanbao and Bopu don't have police stations now. We need to add one to each."

"Bopu doesn't need one for now. There's the Army and Navy there, and the native population isn't large. Setting up a police station in Nanbao with five or six people would suffice."

"Let's promote a native station chief," Dugu Qiuhun suggested, thinking of several capable constables under him who needed cultivation.

"Promote a deputy chief. Observe him for a few years. The chief should still be a Transmigrator to maintain the general direction. Police are a violent institution that also interacts with the masses. Be cautious." Wu De slapped his forehead. "It's not that I'm worried about natives' loyalty. I'm genuinely worried about how they'll act after they hold power—when will our own students mature..."

"De, I don't think this is right," Dongmen Chuiyu interjected. "If we don't let them take the helm, how can we know if these people are reliable? We talk about brainwashing constantly, yet in the end, we still don't trust them. If our own people are always at the steering wheel, native cadres will never grow up. What's the point of promoting this deputy chief?"

"This is also an opportunity to test them!" Dugu Qiuhun said excitedly.

"Alright, alright, I agree," Wu De made a gesture of surrender.

Dongmen Chuiyu brought up another matter: the East Gate Market Police Station had Zhou Shizhai, sent by the Qiwei Escort Agency, along with his two apprentices. They had been in Lingao for a year and had performed well in public security—they were thoroughly familiar with the tricks of petty thieves in this space-time. And their performance during the recent business trip to Leizhou had been commendable. Zhou Shizhai could be considered for promotion.

"I'm afraid that won't work. Zhou Shizhai is still considered a guest. He's not within our system," Wu De shook his head.

"He's been here for over a year. Isn't that reliable enough? He also participated in the Leizhou affair. He's taciturn and reliable in his work—absolutely a suitable candidate." Dongmen Chuiyu defended him.

"I also admire Old Zhou. A true gentleman under traditional culture!" Wu De said. "But Qiwei's relationship with us remains cooperative in nature. He's still Qiwei's man. We have no authority to unilaterally appoint him."

Additionally, Wu De harbored another concern. Though escort men were employed by others, they possessed strong self-esteem. Having him become a station chief within the Crossing Group's system—wearing a uniform, carrying a truncheon, standing at attention and saluting when seeing leaders—he might not be willing. Better to treat him as a guest for easier relations.

"His two apprentices..."

"They're too young, aren't they? Li Biao is only about seventeen, and Chen Kai is only fifteen or sixteen."

"I'm not suggesting they become station chiefs. What I mean is, these two young men should genuinely be educated by us, trained to become police in the future..."

"How about running a police training class?" Dugu Qiuhun proposed.

"That's an excellent idea," Dongmen Chuiyu agreed strongly. "The police organization will keep expanding. When the time comes, current police will all be sent out to take charge on their own. Current police are trained only at the patrol level. They haven't acquired many professional skills. We should run one!"

The Crossing Group had several people who had been police officers, and their ranks weren't low—plus there were two American law enforcement personnel. These were usable resources. Wu De indicated he would discuss it with the Executive Committee upon his return and open a police class at the National School.

Indeed it was necessary, because according to the expansion plan, the Nanbao police station would have an allocation of five. Besides promoting one from the East Gate Market, the other four would all need to be newly recruited.

Recruitment was easy enough. Both the Army and Navy had eliminated personnel available—either injured in training and deemed unsuitable for formation service, or with physical deficiencies. They couldn't serve as soldiers, but they were qualified to be police—at minimum, they had undergone physical and formation training and possessed sufficient discipline.

Wu De said, "Hurry and select your candidates. Pick a day and they can take up their posts. Recruit a few more new police—five, let's say."

And so Ma Peng became the Deputy Chief of the Nanbao Police Station. He was stunned by this promotion, for before this, he had been merely an ordinary constable at the East Gate Market Police Station—no different from the other nine constables. Every day he patrolled the streets, corrected prostitutes soliciting outside their designated spots, caught farmers urinating in public, and checked merchants' measuring tools—the East Gate Market had already begun comprehensively implementing unified new weights and measures. When the occasional clueless thief came to make money at the East Gate Market, he was given a beating with the truncheon and sent to the reform labor team. When there was nothing to do, he sat in the station memorizing the Security Incident Handling Procedure Manual—this was compiled by Mu Min specifically for native police. It used a case-based format, creating a comprehensive compilation covering all possible security and management issues. Written in plain, easy-to-understand language, native police who had completed literacy training simply had to follow the rules strictly. Compiling various specialized manuals was a common method the Crossing Group employed to adapt to the conditions of this space-time.

After receiving the formal appointment from Dongmen Chuiyu, Ma Peng was so astonished he forgot to accept the appointment letter, staring fixedly at Dongmen Chuiyu.

"What, is there a problem?"

"No, no, I—no, I will definitely work hard and not disappoint my superiors' expectations!" Ma Peng suddenly came to his senses, quickly snapped to attention, and said loudly.

"Good, sit down." Dongmen Chuiyu gestured for him to sit.

"Thank you, Chief!"

"The place you're going is Nanbao. It's in the mountains. Conditions aren't as good as the East Gate Market—"

Ma Peng nodded carefully. In his heart, he thought, well, the pay should probably be a bit more.

"...How does that sound? Any requests?"

"Yes, may I bring my mother to Nanbao? After I leave, there's no one here to take care of her."

"Yes, just bring her along." Dongmen Chuiyu nodded. "The housing is ready there. Just move your belongings. I'll give you thirty Yuan for moving expenses."

"Thank you, Chief!"

"I'm giving you three days to take care of household matters. On the fourth day, come to me to get your reporting certificate and free travel pass."

Ma Peng took the transfer order and walked out of the office, his face turning deathly pale. The changes in one's fate were truly ineffable. A year ago, he had still been a farm laborer. Now, he had actually become a cadre under the Australian lords. Ma Peng had observed native cadres in the East Gate Market—each wearing a neat four-pocket blue button-front jacket and carrying a shoulder bag. Though these four pockets were only two more than ordinary laborers', this marked an important distinction between cadres and workers! Walking down the street, they held their heads high—something he had once mildly envied. Now it was his turn to be a cadre!

His colleagues had already received the news and came to congratulate him. Ma Peng naturally had to spend some money. He hosted a banquet at Gou Buli's restaurant in the East Gate Market. There was no shortage of talk about "don't forget to help your old brothers once you've made it." Ma Peng also offered many ceremonial words—basically "thanks to the leadership and cultivation of the chiefs, thanks to everyone's consistent support over the past"—the kind of words that would serve at any occasion.

Everyone drank to their hearts' content. Even Gou Buli came to join the festivities, saying that since it was Station Chief Ma's happy occasion, today's food and drink would be on the house. Unexpectedly, the tipsy Ma Peng immediately straightened up and warned him: don't make him commit a mistake. He even lectured Gou Buli: the Australians' police aren't yamen runners; they serve the common people.

This kid! He's really slick and smooth! No wonder he got promoted. Gou Buli thought while writing his surveillance report under the lamp after closing. His little test had been immediately deflected back.

"Husband, aren't you coming to bed?" His wife walked over.

"How many times have I told you, call me comrade!" Gou Buli hurriedly covered what he was writing. "'Husband' and 'wife'—that's too backward..."

Gou Buli's wife had recently married him. She was also a refugee from the Mainland, a widow. Though not much to look at, she was hardworking and capable at running the shop. Gou Buli was quite satisfied with this marriage.

(End of Chapter)