Volunteers help fellow expats stay within law

Ten longtime foreign residents in Shanghai's Chengjiaqiao area, where expatriates account for 30 percent of the total residents, work with police as volunteers to spread awareness of Chinese laws and rules among foreigners, especially newcomers.

These expat volunteers, including businesspeople, artists and students from such countries as the Netherlands, Argentina, Italy and France, will assist police in informing other expats to register with local police stations within 24 hours of arrival.

They also will help watch for violators of traffic rules, patrol communities to spot safety threats and warn expats about falling prey to such criminal activity as telecommunication fraud, according to police from Changning district, where Chengjiaqiao is located.