The Story of a Police Chief

By Zheng Ming

Pan Dongsheng's office appears as usual.On an assuming corner of a bookcase sat the plate that reads"Director of the Public Security Bureau of Fuzhou,"and a police uniform and cap numbered 100001 hung neatly in the wardrobe.On his desk,piles of pending documents were stacked in order with a desk calendar turned to the page of September 24,2021.On September 25 of last year,Pan Dongsheng,former member of the Party Committee of Fujian Provincial Public Security Department,former Deputy Mayor of Fuzhou,Director of the Public Security Bureau of Fuzhou,died of long-term work overload at the age of 57.

Pan had a hectic week before his departure.On September 18,just after his birthday,he commanded the inspection of an epidemic related case at 2 a.m.In the following days,he visited the police on duty,went to the nucleic acid testing site to comfort the medical staff,and went to the Fuzhou Strait International Convention and Exhibition Center several times to check on security matters.

An Expert in Promoting Policing Digitization

A graduate of the Department of Computer Science of Fuzhou University,Pan Dongsheng is a typical IT guy.Since joining the police,he has been committed to the research and amplification technology in communication and network security,and therefore served as the technology leader of the digitization of the Fujian Public Security Department.

As the leader of the task force of the digitization of Fujian Provincial Public Security Department,Pan Dongsheng designed the process from scratch.Pan Dongsheng's career trajectory reveals that wherever he was,he tried his best to carry out innovation and promote digitization.

While working in the Fujian Provincial Public Security Department,Pan Dongsheng was appointed a member of the "Digitized Fujian Expert Committee,"the sole representative of the Fujian public security system.His keen foresight of new technological developments such as cloud computing and big data has promoted innovation in digitizing governance.Pan took the lead in constructing the public platform of government affairs,and helped implement digital projects such as the "Cloud Platform of Digital Fujian"and "Digital Financial Project"of the Fujian finance department.He was also a pioneer in exploring digitized security management.Through the centralization,integration and sharing of massive data,he provided the public security sector with a unified system of standards,development,database construction,and application and operation,greatly reducing the burden of administrators.

When working in Sanming city,he established the first workstation for network security at the county level,developed the rapid police response system PGIS,and established Sanming Operation Center for Public Security Intelligence Research and Analysis,synthesizing an integrated system for command,criminal investigation,network security and map investigation.

When Pan worked in Fuzhou,he not only promoted the establishment of a "shared pool" of municipal security data,but also actively promoted the public security data to be accessible to other government departments,for the purpose of on-line administration and pandemic prevention.At the same time,he promoted the construction of a series of urban digitization projects,such as the Fuzhou Public Security Cloud Platform,the Smart Public Security Joint Innovation Center,and the Kunpeng Ecological Public Security Laboratory.Thanks to such innovations,the Fuzhou Public Security Bureau was awarded the National Model Bureau of Informatization Construction.

In the eyes of his colleagues,Director Pan was a police chief with great expertise in technological innovation.Having worked with Pan for years,Dong Yu,deputy director of the Technology and Information office,commended Pan was a senior technical expert with a keen sense of the necessity of integrated systems,data sharing and unified standards.Dong said that if the provincial public security system could not get standardized as soon as possible,there would be much more integration in the future."I remembered clearly that Pan once said,'We should not leave this matter to the later generation,as it would cost them more to do what we should do today.'He then conducted thorough research throughout the whole province."

Their Concern Matters

"No matter how insignificant it appears,the people's concern should be fully attended." Pan Dongsheng often told the police,"We should always remember our basic duty to serve people,as we are called 'the people's police.'"Since he joined the police,Pan Dongsheng has been working wholeheartedly for the people,and has tried every possible means to solve urgent problems.When working as Director of the Public Security Bureau of Sanming City,he promoted the "Internet plus" service to provide convenient services,cleared up 496 administrative responsibilities,and shortened the approval time of 40 work projects by 40%.He transferred 73 projects,149 services,and 80 percent of the examination and approval service projects online,thus increasing people's sense of security and satisfaction.

When working in Fuzhou,Pan Dongsheng was vigorous in promoting the "Internet+public Security Administration"scheme,and the average time for handling such affairs was reduced by 22%.He set up a travel service station for residents of Taiwan,and a special service window for unsolved issues.He initiated a mechanism for 'zero admittance criteria' and 'no veto right' for travel security services,as well as a convenient policy for the exit and entry of foreigners.He also established the online platform to serve overseas Chinese.These measures have improved the working efficiency of the police service.

"We must put ourselves in other people's shoes and not push affairs aside with no resolution." "The household administration window is an important platform.We need to introduce more and better measures to make things more convenient for the people." Zhang Kaiyuan,director of the community police department of Fuzhou Public Security Bureau,quoted Pan.

On July 8,2021,promoted by Pan Dongsheng,the Public Security Bureau of Fuzhou set up a special service window for formidable issues in the police station.Policemen would help analyze the causes.For those in compliance with the requirements of relevant laws,the police would try to put forward solutions.For special cases,a consultation mechanism would be activated with a view to soliciting research and solution from higher levels of authority.

"At first,I had a misunderstanding about the special window,which seemed like a 'gimmick.' Later,I realized that it was really in the interests of the people,and tries to solve their problems." Zhang Kaiyuan said.

In response to the problems raised by the public,such as too many traffic cameras,too many tickets and shortage of public parking,Pan Dongsheng conducted several surveys and introduced various measures.Xu Zhihui,Deputy Director of the Traffic Police Department,said,"Director Pan suggested that we should allocate more parking spaces around the old communities so that residents of those communities could park their cars at night.Under Director Pan's leadership,more than 6,000 parking spaces have been added around the old communities since June." That is how he wins a good reputation among the people.

Back on May 8,2016,days of torrential rain caused a massive mudslide in Chitan village of Sanming,with nearly 100,000 cubic meters of earth and rock pouring down and burying part of a hydropower station and dozens of workers.

Pan Dongsheng,then director of the Public Security Bureau of Sanming City,immediately picked up his walkie-talkie and rushed to the site.

"There was thunder and lightning,and it was still raining heavily.Nevertheless,Pan stood in the middle of the mountain road with a megaphone in hand and shouted hoarsely,'No vehicles except ambulances are allowed,' "recalled Luo Zhihuai,political commissar of the Special Police of Sanming City Public Security Bureau,then director of Taining County Public Security Bureau."Director Pan eased the traffic jam,clearing the way for rescuers."

Those five days and four nights witnessed Pan fight side by side with the rescue workers,barely eating and hardly sleeping.He trudged back and forth in mud up to his knees,with his clothes drenched in mud and sweat.

Pan Dongsheng always took the lead to rise to challenges,be it rescue from debris,disaster,or fire.Pan Dongsheng often said that fairness in law enforcement is a must.When people are in times of crisis,officials should lead through action and setting good example for others.Pan Dongsheng devoted himself to the people with deep affection,and in return he was highly praised and remembered.

Compassionate Though Strict

Strict in his daily work,Pan was compassionate with his colleagues,though.

On September 25,2021,at the news of Director Pan's death,Zheng Hua,deputy director of Cha-ting Police Station of Fuzhou Public Security Bureau,rushed to the hospital.The portrait of Pan Dongsheng brought tears to his eyes."It was Director Pan who helped our family reunite.I should have told him how grateful I was to him..."

Zheng Hua has been working at the Public Security Bureau of Minqing County for 15 years,and was separated from family in Fuzhou for a long time."My wife took care of both our parents and the two children all by herself."said a distressed and guilty Zheng.In the Fuzhou police system,families like Zheng Hua's are quite common,as the job transfer process is a complicated and has become a big problem for many police families.

Just after Pan Dongsheng was appointed to work in Fuzhou,he coordinated with several departments to explore a "points system" based on applicants' marriage duration and work performance.Then,police separated from their families could be transferred closer to their spouses according to the point hierarchy in an open and transparent way.At present,68 policemen have been transferred,which has stoked the enthusiasm of police officers to work harder.

Wherever he worked,Pan was always concerned about the needs and difficulties of the grassroots police,and tried his best to meet their needs by introducing more efficient measures.He took the lead in supplementing medical insurance for police,and helping retired officers suffering serious diseases to access occupational safety assistance.Though Pan has passed,these policies he brought about still bring warmth to police in Fuzhou.

Pan was highly respected due in part to these measures and in part numerous small but heartwarming deeds.

During on-site research,he would put his hand into the quilt of the police,testing whether it was warm and dry enough,or required the police to be equipped with electric blankets,air conditioning and other equipment.One summer at an important meeting,after the meeting began,he was worried that the policemen who were on duty and might suffer from heatstroke due to high temperature,so he asked the working staff to send herbal tea to them and to let them rest a little while.

Integrity

Integrity is an important symbol of loyalty to the Party,and the due quality a Party member should exude."Be loyal to the Party!" During a themed Party Day activity,Pan Dongsheng wrote this affectionate message in a notebook,which became his lifetime promise.

After his death,his colleague found Pan's wallet.The wallet was tattered,and inside was a picture of him with his wife and son.Later it was found that his wife had given him the wallet more than 30 years ago,and he had carried it with him ever since then.

"Director Pan's frugality often puts us to shame." Hao Ju,a police officer who worked with Pan Dongsheng for many years,was impressed by the briefcase he carried.The briefcase was given to Mr.Pan when he attended an occupational training in 2008.From the Fujian Provincial Public Security Bureau to Sanming Municipal Public Security Bureau and then to Fuzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau,he used this briefcase for 13 years.

His briefcase was worn out and his wife advised him to get a new one,but he refused.His colleague secretly changed a new handle for him,and he insisted on paying the bill himself.Pan Dongsheng returned home and he said to his wife happily,"Look,it looks as good as new,and can be used for many more years."

"Stay true to the original aspiration and take commitment despite all difficulties." Pan Dongsheng has served the people as a police for over 30 years,a career full of shining achievements bringing actual benefits to the people.

The hero has gone,but his spirit remains.His honor will illuminate future paths and his great spirit will always inspire us to forge ahead.

Personal Profile:

Pan Dongsheng,born in September 1964,joined the public security forces in August 1984.He was a former member of the Party Committee of the Public Security Department of Fujian Province,Vice Mayor of Fuzhou City,and Director of the Fuzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau.He was awarded the Level-B Merit twice and the Level-C Merit once.In 2021,he was awarded the Personal Merit of the National Anti-Mafia Special Struggle.On September 25,2021,Pan Dongsheng died of a sudden illness while attending an important meeting on public security.His death was due to long-term overload and exhaustion.Among Pan Dongsheng's posthumous honors:Model of the Times,First-Class Hero Model of the Chinese Public Security System,Role Model of National Public Security,National Double Top Hundred Hero of Legislation Sector,Provincial Outstanding Communist,Model of Ba Min in Fujian province,Municipal Outstanding Communist,and National and Provincial Hero of Respect.