This is an explanation for a newspaper article about the attempts that the police in China made to make the streets of Bejing safer for its citizens. Read carefully and learn the new vocabulary.
Plainclothes – not wearing police uniform - Cops – policemen and policwomen -Promise Safer Streets = streets that are crime free
(Xinhua) – The Chinese news agency
Updated: 18/10/2006
The long arm of the law = the police -is going undercover = will not use uniforms - in Beijing = the capital of China- , to ensure = to make sure - residents = citizens - feel secure = safe - in public places.
A 1,200-man strong plainclothes team was officially established by the city's public security bureau – a police body - Tuesday, to combat = fight - street crimes such as theft, robbery = stealing by force - , fraud and drug dealing = selling drugs-.
The officers, who will wear everyday clothes = plain clothes - instead of uniform, will be deployed = sent to work- across the city, especially in public places such as railway and bus stations, hotels, restaurants and busy business districts = business areas. Their deployment could be adjusted =changes will happen in the future -later in response to reports to the 110 = the emergency number -emergency hotline.
Ma Xichu, deputy director = the second in command - of the bureau's criminal police unit, said Beijing had comparatively = fairly - low crime rate = a small number of crimes -, but it still witnessed a large number of street crimes.
"This special team will be an essential = important - supplement to the city's existing police force," he said. "It'll help reduce street crime as offenders = people who commit crimes - won't be able to identify = know -plainclothes officers."
Ma said the team would help keep order during the China-Africa Co-operation Forum = very big meeting- next month.
He said more than 4,000 foreign guests would gather = meet = get together - in Beijing during the forum = big meeting-, and ensuring their safety was the bureau's responsibility.
Beijing currently = now - only has about 600 plainclothes officers. Setting up the new team marked the establishment of a systematic working mechanism =method = way - of plainclothes police in Beijing, said Ma.
All plainclothes officers are required = are asked = to have at least three years' police experience in the city, they also undergo = get - special training before joining the team.
Ma said plainclothes officers would be allowed to carry weapons = guns -, including guns, if necessary.
The team has also received positive = good - response from residents = citizens. Seven of out 10 people surveyed = asked about the idea - by China Daily said it would make them feel safer.
However = but -, one resident surnamed Zhou, questioned whether – if - the officers might be tempted to abuse = misuse - their power. "The bureau should issue detailed supervision regulations for plainclothes officers," he said. "And only 1,200 plainclothes is far from enough = not enough - for a city with over 10 million inhabitants."
