Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 445 - 314 Let Him Be the "Local Tyrant

Chapter 445: Chapter 314 Let Him Be the "Local Tyrant

"Director Li, this is not a big issue. Besides, even if we go out on a case, unless it’s a particularly important one, it doesn’t seem necessary to report to the bureau. If I were to travel far, I would definitely need to report to the bureau, since I am the director."

"Salted Fish may not be the director, but he is both the deputy director and the deputy commander of the Fire Brigade! He just went to East Guang without notifying anyone; what kind of behavior is this!"

Director Li really didn’t know what to say to Old Liu.

Director He couldn’t help but take over the phone and coldly asked, "Comrade Liu Xinmin, the children just ran away from home, they are neither missing nor kidnapped, is this really something for our Changhang Bureau to handle?"

Others might fear the director, but Old Liu wasn’t afraid; he was about to retire anyway.

Old Liu calmed his mind and asserted confidently, "Director He, theoretically, this is not our responsibility, and indeed it isn’t something significant for us. But for the parents of these children, it’s a huge deal."

"You want to handle everything; can you manage that? Salted Fish is young and reckless, but you are the director, an experienced colleague, you should know better! Ignoring your main duties to play the hero, do you think that is appropriate?"

"Director He, I think we cannot ignore this matter."

"What kind of attitude is this?"

"Director He, let me explain."

"Ok, go ahead."

"The parents of one of the three children who ran away work for the Port Authority. Although we are now part of the Changhang navigation police, we still get paid by the Port Authority and eat their food. When employees of the Port Authority encounter trouble, should we just ignore it?"

Old Liu countered with a question and continued, "Another child is from a resident of Bailong Port Village. Our Bailong Port Police Station has been in Bailong Port Village for so many years, and who knows how many more years we will stay; it’s almost like a garrison. Shouldn’t we have a good relationship with the local community?"

This is using a high profile as a cover!

As long as it involved the Port Authority, whatever was done or said had to be cautious, especially when leaders from the Marine Administration were due for an inspection, leaving Director He momentarily at a loss for words.

Director Li didn’t expect Old Liu, the "Mr. Nice Guy," to actually dare to confront the director, and hurriedly feigned displeasure, "Old Liu, you have a point, but that’s not a reason not to report to the bureau!"

"Director Li, the bureau hasn’t demanded that either."

"You think you’re in the right now? I want to ask you, traveling to and from East Guang costs a lot; who’s paying for that?"

"Don’t worry, Director Li, we won’t ask for reimbursement from the bureau. The travel expenses are covered by the parents of the three children. They are really worried, it’s almost like the sky is falling. Both you and I are parents; we should understand."

"And what about the repairs, did you report those?"

"That water platform is detained by the Port Supervision Bureau, and the maintenance costs are covered by the Port Supervision Third Team. It’s not only unrelated to our station but even the bureau. We just provided some manpower; after all, we also use it once it’s fixed."

"Okay, okay, so you’ve justified yourself, haven’t you? I just want to ask you, when is Salted Fish coming back?"

"He’s currently on his way to Gaozhou and should arrive this afternoon. If everything goes smoothly and he can get a train ticket back, he should be home in five days."

"Call him and tell him to hurry up. He must return before the first of next month."

"His pager loses signal outside the East Sea, I can’t contact him; I can only wait for him to contact me."

"Doesn’t he have a mobile phone?"

"Mobile roaming needs to be set up when leaving the city and it’s more expensive for provincial roaming. He didn’t set it up, so even with a mobile phone, there’s no contact."

"Alright, come back to the bureau, I need to talk to you face-to-face!" freeNovelFire

Going out to help find someone’s missing children and even unable to contact them, what kind of situation is this?

Thinking of the Bailong Port Water Firefighting Team and even the Bailong Port Police Station taking on many responsibilities they shouldn’t have, making it seem like an ’independent kingdom’ that even the branch cannot control, Director He looked even more displeased.

Director Li knew the director, being new, would find it hard to understand all that Salted Fish had done, hesitated a moment, then put down the phone to explain, "Director He, the ’First Post of the Yangtze River’ plaque isn’t just for our bureau alone, and Salted Fish doesn’t only belong to our bureau."

"What do you mean?"

"Our Binjiang situation is different from Hanwu. Firstly, in terms of jurisdiction division, Hanwu Branch manages the security of the entire Yangtze Hanwu Section, whereas our branch, due to police force, equipment, financial issues and some historical reasons, only manages 10 kilometers of the port area shoreline; we didn’t even manage the river’s security before."

Director Li took a deep breath and continued, "There are many entities with authority over Yangtze affairs, with unclear responsibilities and rights, it’s like many dragons managing water. Thus, many matters on the river end up unattended. Especially in the North Branch Waters, being not a main channel, it was unmanaged for a long time.

Seven years ago, this phenomenon of no management was changed when Salted Fish’s master assumed the role of Yanjiang Police Station Chief. The entire North Branch Waters and even some issues on the Binjiang side, anything that was unattended and could not be ignored, they began handling proactively."

Director He asked expressionlessly, "Does local police handle matters on the river?"

"They create the conditions necessary to exert jurisdiction over areas they’re entitled to manage, which is why we now have the Dunship and 001. As for matters beyond their authority, they collaborate with the authorities that do hold jurisdiction. This is also why the Port Authority, Port Supervision, Fishery Administration, Customs, and other relevant Linghai City leaders hold Salted Fish in such high esteem."

"Old Li, are you suggesting that we can’t treat Salted Fish like a regular police officer?"

"Director He, I’m not advocating for anything special, but considering the overall security, firefighting and rescue, and traffic flow on the water in the Binjiang section, as well as relationships with agencies like the Port Authority, Port Supervision, Fishery Administration, Customs, and even Border Inspection and the Coast Guard, I personally believe Salted Fish should be granted some autonomy."

"Does he also manage the security of the entire Yangtze River waterfront section?"

"There is only 001, a specialized Law Enforcement Rescue Boat, on the entire Binjiang section."

Seeing that the chief still found it hard to understand, Director Li added meaningfully: "Director He, you might not believe this, but the Water Police Station was established based on the former Linghai Police Station by the river, supported by Salted Fish and his master."

Director He felt everything was absurd and asked skeptically, "Are you saying that Director Peng and Wang Wenhong have to listen to Salted Fish?"

"Of course, they won’t listen to Salted Fish, but they will respect his opinions. If there’s a crackdown operation on the water, then Salted Fish will need to deploy 001 to assist."

"001 belongs to the Port Supervision Bureau, but Salted Fish controls it, so you’re saying we have to ask for Salted Fish’s help whenever we encounter an issue?"

"Although it sounds a bit odd, that is indeed one way to put it."

"Just because he has a tugboat converted into a Law Enforcement Rescue Boat, does his actual authority over river-related matters surpass both Director Peng’s and my combined, effectively controlling the Yangtze River waterfront section?"

You have no boat, no money, naturally, you’d turn to someone who has both when problems arise!

You weren’t there when the river was crowded with eel fishing boats, freighters unable to enter ports, and passenger ships forced to stop sailing. You also missed the time when many water bandits roamed the river, not only confronting individual boat owners who dared not speak out but even troubling state-owned shipping enterprises.

Only those who have been through those times understand the importance of Salted Fish and his master.

Director Li fell silent for a moment, then looked up and said, "Director He, Salted Fish has more than just rights to use 001."

"What else?"

"His master earned the respect of nearly all the river-related law enforcement units through his actions. While he may not be as respected by many leaders as his master was, those leaders watched him grow up among these law enforcement entities. Besides inheriting two boats, he also inherited his master’s mission, so leaders from the Port Authority, Port Supervision Bureau, Customs, Fishery Administration, and even those along the river in Linghai and Changzhou support his work."

Director He began to understand, reflecting, "So he has his own mission; no wonder Zhang Junyan didn’t take him away."

"Director He, the things Salted Fish wants to do are not in conflict with our Bureau’s work."

"How can they not be in conflict? If everyone were to follow his lead, how would we manage this team?"

The person before him came to enforce standardization and sought to transform the branch, bearing the Changhang Bureau insignia for years, into a true Changhang Navigation Police Branch.

From this viewpoint, Salted Fish’s mission conflicted with the Bureau’s work, as obviously, Salted Fish could not become the type of Changhang Public Security Officer the Director hoped for. f r\eew,eb novel.c(o)(m)

Director Li was considering relocating Salted Fish if nothing else worked, since Salted Fish only came to the Changhang Bureau to resolve a deputy director-level issue, when Director He suddenly said, "He takes on everything no one else handles; it seems he’s really ’holding up’ the entire Binjiang section. Since some matters indeed need someone in charge, let him be the local tyrant at Bailong Port."

"Director He..."

"I’m just making an analogy."

Director He stroked his chin, continuing, "The passenger flow at Bailong Port is decreasing, and the shoreline of Bailong Port District is very short. I think it’s not necessary to keep so many police officers at the Bailong Port Police Station."

Shocked, Director Li asked, "Director He, are you saying..."

"Let’s discuss it in the Party committee meeting tomorrow. We’ll withdraw a few police officers, enlist Liu Xinmin to the Severe Punishment Task Force, and push ’uniting station and team’ to the extreme. Let Salted Fish oversee the work at Bailong Port Police Station in the capacity of deputy chief."

"What about the Bailong Port Water Firefighting Team?"

"The firefighting squad members will not be adjusted for now since we need to consider both streamlining the force and ensuring the security and water firefighting at Bailong Port Passenger Pier."

Withdraw the pier officers and "hand over" the security of the passenger pier to Salted Fish.

The director plans to pull out from Bailong Port, and effectively letting go of managing Salted Fish! fre\e(w)ebn ov.e l\. co.m

Considering further that the number of travelers boarding the Bai Shen and Bai Liu passenger ships was indeed dwindling, and that navigation of ferries and passenger ships through the North Branch Channel was becoming increasingly difficult due to silt accumulation, the eventual suspension of sailings for the several passenger lines and Bainiu Ferry at Bailong Port seemed imminent. With the Port Authority and Changhang Bureau pulling out of Bailong Port, handing over the pier and its security to local management was only a matter of time.

Director Li felt that letting Salted Fish become the "last local tyrant" of Bailong Port was also acceptable, better than having him constantly in Director He’s sight and upsetting him.