By He Xiaozhong
　　

　　On January 2, 2021, a new Covid-19 case emerged in Shijiazhuang city, Hebei Province. As a response, the Shijiazhuang Public Security Forces (SPSF) mobilized all members, including those on vacation, to take immediate action. In the all-out effort, each team member contributed to the vital progress of the city’s battle against the virus.
　　For insight into the SPSF’s effort to tough out the pandemic, we interviewed three officials: Huang Sanping, Police Chief of Shijiazhuang Public Security Bureau; Wang Guangwei, Deputy Police Chief of Shijiazhuang Public Security Bureau; and Shi Shuchang, Director-General of Gaocheng District Public Security Bureau.

　　Firstly, what were the responsibilities, tasks and work arrangements of the SPSF in the epidemic response?
　　Huang Sanping: Our main duties include providing data for origin-tracing and epidemiological surveys, enforcing closed-circle management in key areas, road traffic security check and access control, maintaining social order and public stability, and combating Covid-related illegal activities. We created 16 task forces with specific responsibilities such as data analysis, traffic check and control, and public security management. All of them worked in close alignment across the board.

　　Could you elaborate on the measures adopted to “forestall transmission within the city border and beyond, and prevent inbound cases” ?
　　Huang Sanping: On the early morning of January 6, under the instructions of both the provincial and municipal CPC committees and governments, we initiated Level-1 traffic control across the city. To be specific, during the epidemic period we intensified control efforts, persuaded people and passengers to go back, thus building a strong block for the sake of the public security. On the other hand, we continued to enforce traffic management and control, requesting and guiding the public to cooperate with us in exercising closed-circle management. By doing so, we reduced traffic flow and effectively stemmed the transmission. On top of that, we gave equal importance to preventing the epidemic and safeguarding people’s livelihoods, ensuring passage for the vehicles and personnel in medical care, emergency rescue, life essentials supply and epidemic response.
　　We practiced strict closed-loop management, dispatching police to Gaocheng District three times to help maintain its social order. The examination and approval of large-scale events was suspended to prevent public gatherings. We mobilized 340 police stations and units as well as volunteer service teams consisting of retired police officials to assist in community management, coordinate nucleic acid testing, and keep public places closed. They helped resolve problems and defuse disputes occurring in relation to the epidemic, helping maintain social order during the closed management period.
　　On January 21, the High-tech Industrial Development Zone Branch Bureau handled a gambling case and arrested 17 suspects, removing the potential danger of transmission in a timely manner.

　　What measures did you take to maintain social order in Shijiazhuang during the epidemic?
　　Wang Guangwei: We initiated Level-1 Patrolling immediately, enforced 24-hour patrol around the Shijiazhuang Railway Station, the Shijiazhuang North Railway Station, and key areas in five districts to deter illegal activities and crimes. We deployed our forces in conspicuous places around the designated hospitals, quarantine centers, supermarkets, warehouses and financial services, where they patrolled at daytime and night. In total, we made 62,000 on-site emergency responses, questioned individuals 188,000 times and vehicles 150,000 times, and arrested 97 suspects of various offenses and crimes, thus eliminating potential dangers to our anti-epidemic efforts and social stability.
　　On January 8, the Shijiazhuang Public Security Bureau Command Center instructed the Traffic Management Bureau, Shijiazhuang Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone Branch Bureau, and Circulating Industrial Park Branch Bureau for immediate response. The response teams intercepted two persons with red Health Codes and reported the cases to healthcare authorities, who then conducted nucleic acid tests and adopted proper quarantine measures.
　　On January 12, as police officers from Yuhua Branch Bureau were maintaining order for a nucleic acid testing in a local community, they found and arrested a fugitive surnamed Wang, wanted online by the Beijing Police.
　　We formulated and issued documents to tackle Covid-related cases in accordance with the law, and regulated on-site enforcement during times of epidemic. These documents served as guidance for the SPSF to combat disturbance of social order, price hikes and counterfeit products. During this period, police forces at different levels settled 60 Covid-related cases.
　　On January 26, police officers from Gaoyi County detected a fake transportation permit for medical supplies carried by a cargo driver while enforcing traffic control. They followed the trail and arrested the suspect producing fake documentations.
　　We initiated an online inspection and disposal mechanism to implement early warning of potential risks, practice online law enforcement and combat online rumors on an ongoing basis. In doing so, we detected and handled illegal activities such as fabricating rumors meant to foster public panic. We punished 113 persons and ensured the safety of the cyberspace.
　　Under the direct command of the Hebei Public Security Department, Cangzhou and Hengshui Public Security Bureaus dispatched police officers to aid Shijiazhuang. They joined our patrol at the Shijiazhuang Railway Station to inspect the exits, reception areas, rescue stations, nucleic acid testing areas and parking lots. In order to ensure proper placement for passengers stranded at the railway station, we released emergency telephone numbers for 24-hour counseling services via TV, broadcast, newspaper and our official Weibo account. In coordination with the railway authority, new passageways in the station were opened for convenient and rapid transits, exits and entries. We assisted travelers returning to Shijiazhuang to contact their families and go home smoothly. We built two temporary shelters, installed carpets and heaters, and provided hot water and convenience food for people who were held up there. We settled 51,551 people, helped to conduct nucleic acid tests for 7,576 people, and provided other services for 1,630 individuals, thus widely acclaimed.

　　What measures did the SPSF take to assist in the origin-sourcing? Are there valuable experience and practices you can share?
　　Huang Sanping: As this resurgence of the virus in Shijiazhuang emerged in clusters caused by inbound infection, we proposed the “one integration, two chains, three respects” approach. “One integration” refers to conducting both origin-tracing and epidemiological surveys in an integrated manner and sharing real-time data and information. “Two chains” refers to the person-to-person transmission chains and object-to-person transmission chains, which were investigated in a synchronized way. “Three respects” refers to respect for the law, science and facts. It means that we should follow epidemiological findings and conduct science-based investigations in origin-tracing.
　　We fully leveraged our strengths in big data technologies and adopted the following methods in a well-coordinated manner: “manual screening plus data analysis,” “interrogation and written transcripts plus behavioral analysis,” “massive information screening plus multi-dimensional integration” and “public security investigative techniques plus disease control technologies.” We worked day and night against time to conduct contact tracing, trying to uncover all possible contacts along the chain. We built some 150 data analysis models to sort out all positive cases, primary and secondary close contacts. We analyzed and reported the results to health care, disease control and other municipal-level public security authorities. During this process, we coordinated origin-tracing efforts by public security personnel and epidemiological efforts by the medical personnel, cooperated with national medical expert teams and achieved breakthroughs.

　　The first infection was found in Zengcun Township, Gaocheng District where Covid-19 cases were clustered. Could you elaborate on how SPSF supported the epidemiological survey in the key areas of Gaocheng District?
　　Wang Guangwei: According to the work arrangement of the Shijiazhuang Public Security Bureau, from January 7 to 8, we mobilized policemen and set up a work group for verifying the results of epidemiological surveys in Gaocheng District. The forces were transported to Zengcun Township to carry out the mission in coordination with other authorities. During this process, our members braved difficulties, worked tirelessly and accomplished the set target with full success. They completed over 30,000 telephone surveys, more than 70 door-to-door investigations and 300 on-site surveys, helped to verify some 8,500 pieces of information, and examined 17,000 inbound arrivals. We also established a support force to aid the 423 Covid-19 investigation team members for a city-wide epidemiological study.

　　Could you give us more details on the role of the Gaocheng District police in the pandemic control?
　　Shi Shuchang: Gaocheng District police forces responded swiftly to the first Covid-19 case found on January 2. We rallied our members immediately, dashed to Zengcun Township at night, set up check points and enforced closed-loop control to cut off the transmission. We assisted disease control authorities to carry out township-wide nucleic acid testing for over 40,000 villagers over one night.
　　At this time, our police forces worked continuously in frigid temperatures of negative 10 degrees Celsius and below for seven days and nights in Xiaoguozhuang Village to collect first-hand data for epidemiological surveys.
　　We enforced high-level inspection and control at Xiaoguozhuang Village, Nanqiaozhai Village and Liujiazuo Village. A patrol comprised of over 100 auxiliary police members, local township and village officials and volunteers was responsible for keeping properties safe for the other 17 villages. And the rest of us assisted relevant departments to feed poultry, livestock and household pets.

　　Could you give us more details about its anti-epidemic support to other departments and units?
　　Wang Guangwei: Public security forces at different levels in Shijiazhuang manned the front line of the battle against Covid-19, and maintained order for three city-wide nucleic acid tests. On the evening of January 4, we rallied policemen from eight districts and counties in three hours and transported them to Gaocheng District overnight for a mission. Through 15 hours of hard work, the forces assisted the health commission in conducting nucleic acid tests for every household and individual in some certain villages and townships. What is more, we sent highly-trained police officers to join the task force for a current population survey across the city and organized community-oriented police officers to support sub-district offices and local residential committees in carrying out this task. We also dispatched policemen to assist in sanitizing neighborhoods and maintaining social order in Gaocheng District.
　　Adequate police forces were deployed at every quarantine center to enforce 24-hour patrol. Meanwhile, we upgraded the CCTV systems at these centers, and collected and uploaded all video footage to our database. With the combined strengths of stationed police forces, videos and data, we considerably improved management efficiency to stem cross-infection.
　　To restrict inbound and outbound travel from Shijiazhuang, we collected real-time hotel registration information, categorized them into groups for a better understanding of the overall situation, and reported the results to epidemic prevention and control authorities on a timely basis. Our swift and proactive response created seamless information networks. We updated and shared information on a daily basis and established written records for every hotel registrant. By the time such control measures were suspended, we had helped 2,452 people to return to or leave Shijiazhuang. During the closed management period, we set reception desks for sub-regions at the Shijiazhuang Railway Station to handle the travelers returning to each area via Shijiazhuang.

　　Could you please exemplify how the intelligent public security system worked in the battle?
　　Huang Sanping: During the course of origin-tracing, our big data task force worked at full steam, collecting data, building analysis models, examining and verifying the early cases and their primary and secondary contacts, and reporting the results to competent authorities. The team’s accurate data supported the anti-epidemic endeavor.
　　To assist the epidemiological survey, we worked for 48 hours consecutively and developed the Shijiazhuang Information Sharing Platform for Epidemiological Survey. We set functional modules such as positive case reporting, task assignment, test result reporting, data summarization, real-time data for quarantine centers, and online maintenance of information for quarantine centers, so that we could realize dynamic information entry and ensure convenient services for health care and disease control departments in their work.
　　To ensure security in the quarantine sites, we worked for 46 consecutive hours to develop the Medical Quarantine Registration System, in which teams entered and updated the information of quarantine centers and people in quarantine, realizing dynamic monitoring and classified management. Meanwhile, we upgraded the CCTV systems, and followed the experience of the Chang’an Branch Bureau by installing infrared voice and video systems in these centers, which could work with the CCTV system in a complementary and integrated manner. In doing so, we managed to conduct night-vision remote monitoring, intelligent alarming and dissuasion via interphone. This new mechanism for security work features targeted measurement, remote surveillance and intelligent control, and improved the quality and efficiency of quarantine management. ■
　　(Translated by Agnes)