Shanghai Cops: They’re watching you

Yes, they’re everywhere.

Shanghai’s finest, its hierarchy of police men and women, district security guards (协管) and traffic cops are out in full force. In fact, there are so many of them, you’d think they’ve shipped them in from other cities and provinces.

If you are in the financial district in Lujiazui (陆家嘴) in Pudong, you’d notice that police are lined up along all the roads in this area. (By the way, this place shuts down after 5pm today, don’t even think about coming over here.)

The professional police force are mostly younger men and smart looking in their navy suits, helmuts and riding boots. They cruise around on nice shiny motobikes or BMW 5 Series, recently introduced for the Expo.

The district security guards (协管) tend to be older men who also wear navy suits and white helmuts, but ride around on a dinky e-bikes. (That’s a pair of them above, whom I like to call Starsky and Hutch).

Traffic police are attired in mud brown suits paired with reflector vests. The force is made up of mostly older men and women in their late 40s or early 50s, who carry ubiquitous jars of tea and when congregating at breaks, look like a gathering of jolly aunts and uncles.

Shanghai’s finest are dedicated to making the city safe and will be watching your every move. So why not stop them and say hello?

Thank them for their fine work while they frisk you and ask you for your passport.

Give them a hat tip as they hustle you across the busy streets.

And heck, why not give them a hug to see if they’ll bundle you in the back of the police van parked round the corner.

So … welcome, welcome! Are you all ready for the Expo?