Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 298 - 213 This is a Joint Operation

Chapter 298: Chapter 213 This is a Joint Operation

The Binjiang Economic and Technological Development Zone is an organization at the Standard Department Level, with the Party Secretary and the Director of the Management Committee ranking alongside the leaders of several districts and counties. However, the area of the development zone isn’t very large, equivalent to only one and a half townships.

This one and a half township was originally part of the old Binjiang County, which has now become the Chonggang District, and Changzhou City which has recently been upgraded to a county-level city.

As this one and a half township is located by the river, with not a large population, and the economy not very good, there was no police station established before, just a police special envoy, so the Development Zone Branch was not established on the basis of the old team. Whether it’s the Director, the Political Commissioner, or the police officers, they were all seconded from various units by the City Bureau.

The Yingchuan Port Police Station in the jurisdiction of the Development Zone Branch is a new unit like the Water Police Fourth Squad, with the only difference being that the police officers are all veterans.

With so many enterprises and construction units within the jurisdiction and the large influx of outsiders, the security situation faced is completely different from the past. Director Li Jun, a veteran with rich experience in police work, is now facing new challenges.

The outsiders form cliques and get into fights and brawls.

Criminals run underground video halls that play pornographic videos; game rooms and pool halls are everywhere, and some young people even gather to gamble after work.

Various conflicts and disputes caused by land expropriation and demolition are constant. Some villagers are unhappy with the compensation, making life difficult for some enterprises.

Theft cases remain high, ranging from newly installed power transformers and cables by the power department to rice cookers, bicycles, and gas stoves - anything might be stolen...

With a total of only five police officers and thirteen cooperative defense team members in the station, they are all tired and overworked, running around every day, but only a few cases have been solved.

Just when Director Li was worrying about how to solve cases, the instructor of the Water Police Fourth Squad surprisingly brought over a pile of clues yesterday.

With the Chinese New Year approaching, it is essential to crack down hard to ensure that the public can enjoy a peaceful and auspicious festival.

Early this morning, he gathered all the police officers to discuss the clues provided by the Water Police Fourth Squad for the whole morning, discovering that seven clues were related to previous theft cases!

After lunch, they split into two groups.

One group went to various enterprises within the jurisdiction to investigate if there’s anyone matching the physical characteristics described in the clues, while the other group brought victims to the warehouses by the Bin Qi River to identify the items of unknown origin that had been detained by the Water Police Fourth Squad.

The Water Police Fourth Squad is very helpful and generous, not only providing assistance, but even saying that as long as it can be confirmed that the detained items are stolen goods, these can be transferred to the Yingchuan Port Police Station.

The Water Police Fourth Squad also has jurisdiction over the cases.

And by four in the afternoon, at least five suspects had been identified, ready to be apprehended at any time.

If they are transferring, does this mean the Water Police don’t need the credit, and aren’t they also tasked with combatting crime?

Just when Director Li was puzzled, the frequent radio and intercom communications from the Water Police Fourth Squad made him and the two police officers with him inwardly startled.

"Old Huang, Captain Yu is coming back soon; hurry up and prepare the food; he hasn’t had lunch yet."

"Prepare food for a few people. Are Captain Wang and Old Zhu coming over?"

"Use the intercom to ask."

"Okay."

Despite their young squad leader’s age, he’s decisive, managing to intercept a foreign vessel, earning a lot of face for Jia Yongqiang among his peers.

Ma Jintao and Yang Yong were both excited and regretful, thinking why didn’t they join Salted Fish on boat 001 this morning.

Jia Yongqiang sat back in the meeting room and smiled, asking, "Director Li, sorry, where did we leave off just now?"

Director Li came back to his senses and exclaimed, "Director Jia, did Captain Yu really use water cannons on a foreign vessel, even breaking the glass of the vessel’s cockpit and injuring the foreign crew?"

"You heard it just now, that foreign cargo ship illegally entered the Yangtze River, infringing our China’s sovereignty, and decisive measures had to be taken."

"Just using water cannons, it’s not the first time."

"Xiao Ma, are you saying Captain Yu has used them before?"

The Water Police work hard through wind and rain, achieving so much over the years, but still ranking relatively low among all types of police and lacking status within the City Bureau.

How could Ma Jintao miss this opportunity to show off? He animatedly said, "Three years ago, on the canal, water bandits were extorting, stealing, and even robbing ships of the Binjiang Shipping Company and individual owners involved in water transportation. Our Water Police Team cooperated with Linghai Police Bureau for armed escort.

Captain Yu and I were among the first to provide escort. While waiting to pass through a lock, several scoundrels boarded our fleet attempting to steal... the ones who got away were brazen enough to gather sixty or seventy locals to come back and confront us, using their numbers to threaten us to release the four we had previously caught.

Captain Yu didn’t stand on ceremony with them; he turned on the high-pressure water cannon and washed them all away, recapturing the two who had escaped. Later, while escorting, we also captured more culprits, to the point that the crew cabins of over ten barges couldn’t contain them all. When we passed Huaiyin with coal on the way back from Xuzhou, we handed over more than a hundred criminals to the Canal Police Department."

A trip to Xuzhou and over a hundred criminals were apprehended!

Director Li couldn’t believe this was true.

The other two officers at Yingchuan Port Police Station were also shocked.

Ma Jintao smirked and said, "To talk about big scenes, our Water Police Station has experienced many. When illegal eel fry fishing was at its worst, we not only used high-pressure water cannons but even mortars."

Director Li had heard about the use of mortars, apparently to round up smugglers on a sandbar not far from Yingchuan Port, although what was fired were flares, not lethal shells.

"But today’s situation is different from the past; Captain Yu dealt with a foreign vessel and foreign crew members, not ordinary criminals."

"So what if they are foreigners, has Captain Yu not dealt with them before?"

"Captain Yu doesn’t seem very old."

"But he started working early."

Ma Jintao looked back at Jia Yongqiang and smiled, "When he started working, the Water Police Stations hadn’t been established yet. Once, Yanjiang Police Station in cooperation with Binjiang Port Police Bureau cracked down on suspects involved in foreign exchange fraud and theft. Captain Yu took part in the operation, followed from Binjiang Port to Bailong Port, then on to Hongqiao Airport in East Sea, capturing seven foreigners at the airport."

Director Li asked curiously, "Captain Yu was following them?"

"Yes, he was young and short back then; the criminals didn’t suspect him of being police and even attempted to recruit him as a gang member."

"How old was he then?"

"Sixteen."

At just sixteen, he was already involved in case work, and what he executed was a close-contact mission!

Li Jun could no longer look down upon the young Water Police Captain, and with emotion said, "I’m not afraid of being laughed at, we didn’t know much about your work before, but now we know the nature of your job is indeed quite different from ours."

Gaining respect from peers on land is not an easy feat.

Jia Yongqiang, overwhelmed with emotion, laughingly said, "Law enforcement on water has higher demands than on land, especially enforcing the law on the river, where winds and waves are uncontrollable, making apprehension more difficult. Moreover, most illegal activities occur at night, and water patrolling’s highlight is often also at nighttime. In a few days, we’ll be busy again, starting to live a life where day and night are reversed."

Li Jun reflexively asked, "Busy with what?"

"Assisting Fishery Administration in protecting fishery resources and cracking down on illegal eel fry fishing. Although illegal eel fry fishing isn’t as rampant as it was in the previous years, the difficulty in crackdown is higher than before because these criminals no longer act so brazenly and have started to engage in guerrilla warfare with us."

"No wonder you hand over the leads and evidence to us, you guys are overwhelmed."

"It’s not just about being overwhelmed."

"What else then?"

"Because you have more favorable conditions for investigations than we do. Captain Yu has said more than once that good water public security cannot be detached from the support of our land counterparts; only if the land public security is taken care of well, can the water public security be good."

Jia Yongqiang smiled and continued, "Director Li, if there’s anything you need from us in the future, just say the word. If there’s any major operation and you’re short on hands, just give us a call. As long as we’re not preoccupied, we will assist with all our strength."

The Water Police Fourth Squad has more officers than Yingchuan Port Police Station.

With the Spring Festival cleanup campaign forthcoming, Li Jun couldn’t help but ask, "Director Jia, we’re planning a major inspection of the migrant population soon, can you assist us with that?"

"No problem, but we have to act quickly. Once the weather gets warmer and the eel fry start to migrate, we’ll be out of time."

"Okay, I’ll prepare as soon as I get back."

While speaking, Han Yu returned on his light motorcycle.

Just after being introduced by Jia Yongqiang and exchanging a few words of greetings with peers from land, the phone on the office desk rang.

Ma Jintao hurried to answer, then looked up and said, "Captain Yu, Director Feng is looking for you."

Han Yu apologized to Director Li and took the phone, asking, "Director Feng, this is Han Yu, any instructions?"

Director Feng had just arrived at the Water Rescue Center and turned to look at Deputy Station Chief Gao from the Border Inspection Station, laughing and saying, "Salted Fish, I know you’ve been busy all day and are tired. Long story short, two things."

"Go ahead, I’m listening."

"First, commendation. Your interception action this afternoon was firm and decisive, it not only upheld national sovereignty but also prevented a possible maritime traffic accident. Didn’t Director Zhou ask you to write a report? You should write it with Ningning, after all, it was a joint operation with our Water Rescue Center, Port Patrol Team One, and Second Company."

Regardless, there was a foreign sailor injured, and Han Yu felt somewhat nervous.

Director Feng’s attitude was quite clear, and considering his position, his commendation indicated that all was well.

Han Yu couldn’t help but laughingly say, "Yes!"

"The second matter, the berths at several docks at Binjiang Port are very tight. I just discussed with colleagues from Customs and Border Inspection, and we’ve decided to have the Pride Wine stay anchored at Yingchuan Port anchorage for further investigations."

"Director Feng, that doesn’t seem to be a matter concerning our squadron."

"It’s not your matter, but you need to assist."

"We are not border guards nor border inspectors. How can we assist?"

"The Pride Wine needs to be supervised while anchored in the river. The patrol boats of the Border Inspection Station’s guard squadron can’t withstand the big winds and waves. We’d like to borrow your 001."

Director Feng looked up at the border inspection station’s leader and half-jokingly said, "Even Director Zhou can’t command the 001, only you have the authority to deploy it, so we can only turn to you."

The 001 is the Law Enforcement Rescue Boat of Yanjiang Police Station and is not a vessel of the Water Police Department. Although it is painted with "Binjiang Water Police 001," indeed, Director Zhou can’t dispatch it.

Han Yu grinned and said, "No problem."

"Then you should come over later to discuss patrol supervision with the comrades from the guard squadron."

"Yes!"

"What do you mean ’yes’? I’m not your superior."

The young man had made a great achievement this time and also allowed the Binjiang Port Supervision to shine. After all, the Water Rescue Center, Port Patrol Team One, and Second Company had all participated in the interception.

Director Feng was in high spirits due to the good news and smiled, thinking again: "The battle against illegal eel fishing is about to begin again, communication and coordination are very important, and we must solve the communication issues. Our department just bought a batch of digital pagers, and I’ll give one to you and Ningning."

Having a pager indeed makes it more convenient, especially when out and the department needs to contact you, a page can establish prompt communication.

Han Yu had always envied his master’s pager and wanted one. But pagers were too expensive, costing nearly two thousand, equivalent to an annual salary, with a monthly fee on top.

He had not expected the Port Supervision Bureau to actually provide them, Han Yu was overjoyed: "Thank you, Director Feng."

"No need for thanks, it’s for work."

Director Feng was genuinely pleased today and couldn’t help but laugh again: "In the future, if you encounter situations like this afternoon, intercept as you must, when it concerns national sovereignty, do not hesitate."

"Yes!"

"Alright, I’m going to board the ship and see what exactly is going on. Finish your meal quickly and come over. The comrades from the border inspection are waiting."

Director Feng had just hung up when Deputy Station Chief Gao from the border inspection station exclaimed, "The calf does not fear the tiger."

Director Feng was about to speak when Chief Tang from Customs laughed and said, "Salted Fish is not a calf, he is the successor Xu Sanye has been training for many years."

"Who is Xu Sanye?"

"Deputy Station Chief Gao, you’re not familiar with Xu Sanye, but you know Zhou Hong well. Who Xu Sanye is, you can ask Zhou Hong later."