Law enforcers do not have privilege to break the law

Policemen of Yunyang People’s Court in Chongqing sign a banner on Nov 24, 2014 to show their loyalty to the Constitution. [Photo/Xinhua]

A video widely spread shows a policeman in Shenzhen, Southern China's Guangdong province, insulting two women. Reports say the policeman stopped the two women on the street without any reason and asked them to show their ID cards. He refused to show them his own police card when asked. Feeling challenged, the officer threatened to cuff them and throw them behind bars, and behaved aggressively toward them. The police chief apologized to the two women and the policeman has been suspended. China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments:

What role should the police play? Protect and serve, of course. When we hire police officers with taxpayers' money, equip them with batons, handcuffs and even guns, we expect them to use such equipment to protect us against possible harm from criminals.

It is no problem for police officers to stop people and question them if they are suspected of being involved in crimes. The police can even bring them in for questioning if necessary.

But "enforcing the law" should not be an excuse for police officers to break the law. The policeman in this instance had no right to verbally abuse the women even if they were suspected of breaking the law, let alone when they had not.

By being aggressive and verbally abusive toward the women, the policeman broke the law and he deserves to be punished. The police chief has done the right thing by suspending the police officer.

Some argue that the policeman had the right to check the women' s identity cards if he suspected them of breaking the law. But the policeman admitted in the video that he did not consider the two women to be suspects. Nor did he give any reason for asking to see their ID.

We empower the police to protect us. But the police must also adhere to the law.