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Opinion / Liu Shinan
Efficient police a sign of the times
By Liu Shinan (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-08 07:23
My driver's license expired last Friday after six years. A few days
earlier, I had downloaded a blank "certificate of physical health" form
from the website of the Beijing municipal traffic authorities and went to
an authorized hospital for a test. The test was required for the renewal
of the license.
After the medical check, the physician put the official stamp on the
certificate to affirm my healthy condition. But he said that my photo on
the form did not conform with the traffic authorities' requirement.
"It should be one inch in size. You must have cropped a two-inch photo to
fit into that blank," he said. I admitted to the little trick. As I
didn't bother to go to a studio for a new photo, I used an old one
instead. "Very likely they (the police) will reject it and you'll have to
come back again," the physician said.
I called the police station in charge of vehicles administration in
Haidian District. A policewoman told me where the station was and what I
needed to prepare for renewing the license, including three one-inch
photos.
I went there on Friday wondering if I would become an illegal driver when
I returned from the police station after yielding the expired license and
handing in the application for a new one. According to my past
experience, it would take at least one week before the new license was
ready.
Surprisingly, I waited for only half an hour for it to be issued.
The officers were exceptionally efficient and considerate. A policeman at
the information desk told me patiently how to fill in the application
form. I mentioned my worry about the photo. He assured me the health
certificate would be accepted as valid so long as I stuck a photo of
standard size beside the original photo. This impressed me very much
because in the past the certificate would be rejected as invalid and I
would be asked to return with a standard one.
After I handed in the forms at window No 3 and answered a few questions,
I was told to wait for the result at window No 7. While waiting, I looked
around the hall. There were 11 windows, each handling a particular
business. Beside each of them there was a written notice specifying the
procedure of formalities and the materials and information the applicant
needs to deliver. In this way the possible delay because of repeated
explanation is greatly reduced.
And the police officers' work was obviously done at a quick pace. There
was no sign of loitering, which was commonplace in the past. Even the
making of the plastic license card with photo was completed in a few
minutes.
The greatly improved work efficiency at the Haidian vehicles
administration station should be attributed, as I see it, to two things.
First, the officers are now more faithful to their duties, hence more
assiduous in their work. Faster pace in work means more workload and less
or no time for idling. In contrast, in the past they could easily waste
away time by sending citizens away with various excuses. At that time,
they might handle one or two dozens of cases a day, but now they will
handle about 100 cases, I estimate.
Second, the work is well planned and conducted in an orderly manner and
with flexibility. This also requires a strong zeal for work from the
officers.
I believe the improved work efficiency is part of the Beijing
government's effort to improve the city's image before hosting the
Olympic Games. I have not visited other government departments, nor have
I done any investigation. So I don't know if the Haidian police station
happens to be an outstanding model or just is a typical example of all
government departments. I would rather believe it is the latter.
Email: liushinan@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 08/08/2007 page10)
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