Police Officers Held Accountable for Failing to Stop Murder

Three weeks ago, surveillance footage of a supermarket in Anhui captured two police officers failing to stop the murder of a young woman right in front of their eyes, inciting heated condemnation from Chinese netizens nationwide. Within days, the police department of these officers declared that the two officers were not derelict in their duty for failing to stop the killing….

From Sina:

The Two Policemen in Anhui Who Witnessed the Murder of a Young Girl Without Effectively Stopping It Have Been Held Accountable

People’s Daily Online, Hefei, September 11 report (Reporter Zhanglei) — This People’s Daily Online Anhui Channel reporter has gotten news from relevant departments that the two police officers previously reported by this website in “Two Bengbu Police Officers Witness Young Girl Being Killed, Was Very Close But Failed to Step Forward Bravely” on August 21st have been held accountable. The Bengbu City Public Security Bureau has decided: Remove Song X from his position as political instructor of the Macheng Police Station, give administrative demerit, and transfer out public security organizations; Give administrative demerit to police officer Cui X, and transfer out public security organizations.

Meanwhile, the Bengbu Public Security Bureau held a meeting for the rectification of working style in the organization, to summarize the lessons learned from the failure of two police officers to effectively stop a crime during an emergency at the scene of this violent crime, to reflect on the prominent problems existing within the organization, and to comprehensively rectify [the organization’s] working style, to earnestly solve the problems the public security organizations have in aspects such as emergency command, on-scene handling, the character of officers, discipline, etc. in order to earnestly improve police officers’ abilities in protecting people’s lives, possessions, and safety.

Comments from Sina:

我本善良之微博 [湖北武汉]:

Two [police officers] who are just muddling by [doing the bare minimum, not doing their duty earnestly]! [They] Should be removed from public employment! [Should be] sentenced to punishment! Otherwise the people of the nation will not let the matter rest!

文不成武不行619 [浙江台州]:

Why keep these two good-for-nothings around? They’ll be good-for-nothings wherever they are transferred to! Hoping for the return of true police spirit.

-长城证券 [广东佛山]:

Too irresponsible, they completely have completely forgotten the duty a police officer should fulfill. To let a crime happen in front of them without stopping it, to turn a blind eye, have their conscience been eaten by dogs? A punishment like removing them from duty is far from enough, they should be investigated for legal liability.

scc乱乱乱乱 [新疆乌鲁木齐]:

Taxpayers money has been used to raise a bunch of cowardly scumbags.

S-HERO乐 [甘肃兰州]:

So light. According to criminal law, the failure to help by anyone who is required by the law to render assistance constitutes a crime of intentional homicide through dereliction of duty.

颜媚晴 [广东汕头]:

They should be charged with the crime of failing to do their duty.

爱到疯癫2019 [江苏南通]:

Should hold their chief superior responsible!

卸下装_素描自己 [云南昆明]:

Having read the comments, instead of saying the public is despising and cursing the two police officers for their dereliction of duty and being as cowardly as little mice, it’d be better to say [the public is despising and cursing] the failure to act and cowardliness of the public authorities [police], even the anger and mockery of deceiving the public. Look at reality, bandits are in power, swindlers run amok, people are getting killed and robbed, so just who is to take responsibility for this?

复旦大学永远怀念毛-主-席 [上海]:

I understand that the police have retreated from the front lines, with auxiliary police and chengguan charging forward at the front line, because just muddling by [doing the least possible to remain in one’s position] is too comfortable. It would be weird if they responded at all. Usually police only move their mouths.

勤酬为天道 [广东深圳]:

Just how did they get to become police officers in the first place? People like them would also be deserters in battle. This mustn’t be dealt with too nonchalantly, should expel them from the Party and lower them to the status of the common people, but who knows, maybe 3 days later they’ll have their jobs back again.

在水之湄-雪妮 [安徽巢湖]:

Even 250 like them are qualified to become police officers?

牛达哈 [江苏无锡]:

When the people see a murderer and call 110 for help, and what comes is two police officers who don’t help when witnessing murder show up, you tell me if the people could feel anything but despair?

舞蹈宝贝小花仙 [福建福州]:

This is more serious than those Shanghai judges drinking and hiring prostitutes, and more serious than violations of the one child policy. They should be at least be removed from their positions, and then charged with dereliction of duty.

李伟圳 [福建厦门]:

They previously said that these two police officers weren’t wrong, so why are they punishing them now? Does what they said before count as a rumor? Besides, I don’t want this kind of punishment to be a done just because of intense public opinion and repercussions, but done instead because of strict adherence to rules and regulations. Meanwhile, this incident should also serve as a warning for the entire public security system. What should the people’s police do and how should they do it? How can they truly serve the people instead of just paying lip service to it without actually carrying it out.

无语荷花3303882635 [陕西西安]:

How did people like them get into the police force? What kind of responsibility should the leadership bear? How to hold them responsible?

蚂蚁菜3574146633 [河南新乡]:

Didn’t the police say there was no indication of dereliction of duty with those two police officers? How come they’re now fired? Slapping on their own faces [embarrassing themselves by backpedaling]?

小马奔腾7988 [浙江杭州]:

Just thinking about this thing makes me angry. Talk about sitting on the toilet without shitting, it’s a shame for them to wear police uniforms.

百事饼干 [江西新余]:

Who knows what “welfare department” they’ve been transferred to for retirement.

wwwjoke11ren [北京]:

Oh, the police don’t have self-defense weapons so they can’t just go risk their lives. Couldn’t they have grabbed something to stop [the guy]? Let alone it was 2 police officers? Does not police station not provide batons when they are dispatched? So they just let the police officers go out to stroll around and appreciate the scenery? It’s just as someone said, the taxpayers’ money would be better used keeping a dog. Police officers, Chinese police officers, have a bad reputation, and are not as good as they were in the past…

倚楼丨听风雨2013 [安徽合肥]:

It’s already been so long now, and besides, the relevant departments have already carried out the relevant punishment. So, let’s stop creating public pressure! We’re just talking big now. If you really encountered such a thing, could you be sure that you would step forward immediately? Everybody has family, and sometimes having a bit of selfishness is normal! If everyone is the righteous warrior they say they are, then let’s just do what we ought to do, abide by the law, and be ready to bravely do the right thing when we see it… This is all good, rather than excessively putting so much energy on this matter.