Stress, long hours behind cop deaths

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-08 07:52

Working conditions under scrutiny after two more officers die on the job

Critics are questioning the stressful working conditions and long hours faced by police in the capital after two officers died suddenly while on duty in recent days.

Zi Xiangdong, a press officer with Beijing municipal public security department, said on Wednesday the bureau was aware of the deaths and was conducting research into the health of Beijing's police officers.

The issue arose after the deaths of Zuo Lijun, an officer in Haidian district on March 20.

The 34-year-old Sergeant Jiang Zijun, who was based in Minyun county. Jiang was found dead in his office on March 4 after 40 straight hours of work.

Beijing News said 10 police officers had died suddenly while on duty between 2007 and 2008.

Results from physical examinations at one police bureau paint an alarming picture, showing that only 22.8 percent of that district's 4,000 officers were in good physical shape. Others had a range of problems, including hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Zhan Wei, who studied the health of police officers on behalf of the Ministry of Public Security, told Beijing News the health of police officers was far worse than the condition of the average Beijinger.

Zhan said the average life expectancy of frontline police officers nationwide was only 48 years.

Here in Beijing, the percentage of police officers with abnormal health conditions increased by 10 percent between 2003 and 2005.

Very long hours of stressful work are common for basic level officers.

"Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are the two biggest illnesses troubling officers, and this is all blamed on the long hours and irregular lifestyle," said Zhang Huiling, a model officer in Shuangyushu police station.

"It's quite normal to work 48 hours straight because, in addition to routine shifts, every officer has to complete 24 hours on duty," he told METRO.

He said he once worked for half a month without going home.

Staff shortages are often the reason why officers work such long hours, Zhan said.

Last year, a typical day for Beijing's police department saw 16,000 alarm calls, of which 4,000 required an officer to attend the scene.

Data from Beijing police indicate there are 12 police officers for every 10,000 citizens, a much lower ratio than that of many other countries, Beijing News reported.

METRO