"It's at that time I have felt a sense of pride and honor as a policeman," said a policeman named Zhang Yuesheng, when an elderly man thanked him for saving his life.
Born in the 1990s, Zhang is an officer at Chuanghui Road Police Station, Gaoxin Sub-bureau of Xi'an Public Security Bureau in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and has solved nearly 100 cases and safeguarded people's lives and properties.
There are many other policemen and policewomen devoting their time, energy and life to ensure the public's safety and well-being.
It's to honor the police officers' selfless and heroic efforts in protecting citizens while going about their daily lives that the Chinese People's Police Day was established on January 10, 2021.
On the day marking the third anniversary, China's Ministry of Public Security held a press conference, showing public security agencies' efforts in maintaining social stability, protecting people's lives and promoting social development.
In 2022, 308 police officers and 179 auxiliary police officers were killed in the line of duty, while 4,334 police officers and 3,470 auxiliary police officers injured, said Li Bei, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security at the press conference.
Thanks to the police officers' painstaking efforts, the number of violent and terrorist incidents has been zero for six consecutive years, Li said.
Helping passengers at a train station in Tongren City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, January 10, 2023. /CFP
Liu Yabin is one of the police officers who passed away in 2022. "For the benefit of the people, no matter how hard it is, it is worth it," Liu had always kept this motto in mind until he left this world.
Liu, a police officer from Cangzhou Public Security Bureau in north China's Hebei Province, had won praise from his peers and local residents. During his career, he fought with gangsters more than 100 times and was wounded over 20 times. He participated in solving some 1,000 cases and captured around 800 criminal suspects.
January 10 was chosen in connection to the police hotline 110. On January 10, 1986, Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau launched China's first police hotline numbered 110. In 1996, China's Ministry of Public Security made the hotline nationwide.
After more than 30 years, 110 has become a symbol of the police force as well as one of the household phone numbers people immediately think of when in danger.
"People call 110 for a reason, and that's why we should always help them as much as we can," Zhang said.