Pretty police face public probe (2)

Chongqing briefly set up a mounted team, also under Bo's tenure, but none of these mounted teams have been anywhere near as large as Dalian's.

Yu Futian, vice-captain of the city's police patrol detachment, said that the unit is by no means just a collection of pretty faces, as mounted police have advantages when separating crowds and intimidating and targeting suspects during large-scale events. He also said the officers routinely patrol on motorcycle.

However, doubts have been cast on how many arrests the group has actually made while on horseback. Recent media reports citing comments from officers have indicated one or none, but no formal figures have been made available.

"Dalian is a safe, orderly city and they only patrol the two public squares for an hour each day besides performing with sabres at big events, which make them impractical as police," said Zhao. An anonymous local police officer also hinted to the Global Times that the unit "won't go to narrow places."

Zhao suggested separating the unit's tourism functions from public security duties, and launching a cost-benefit analysis of the unit. "It's too soon to talk about canceling it," he said, adding that "the good news is the city government has been active in interacting with me and the public about this."

Han Fuzheng, a seasoned lawyer specializing in administrative law, told the Global Times that Dalian residents are entitled to more information on this matter to make their own decision, "but it should follow legal procedure and not merely be a whim of leaders."

Murky beginnings

Zhao has been proposing reform within the police system since 2005, questioning whether the unit was established using proper procedure.

"'Mounted police' is not a formal police classification in China, the uniform they wear is also different from the national standard. Also, while they are patrolling, which section of the road should the horses use? All these should be carefully planned and approved by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), but we didn't see any procedure," said Zhao.

The training base for the unit consists of 30,000 square meters and is a major tourist site in the city. A staff member told the Global Times that the ticket price is 50 yuan ($8.15) per person with extra charges for horse riding, and the policewomen give equestrian performances at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm every day between May and October.

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