Chen Xiaopan willingly serves as the umbrella of safety for his fellow villagers
Chen Xiaopan, instructor at the Huangdimiao Police Station of the Linying County Public Security Bureau in Henan:
Serving as the "umbrella of safety" for his fellow villagers
Reporter Xia Xianqing, Correspondent Wang Jianing
He wears clothes from 15 years ago, uses furniture acquired when he transferred from the military, and rides a motorcycle with peeling paint. For 9 years, he has carefully measured every inch of his jurisdiction. He is Chen Xiaopan, who in 2005 was transferred to the Huangdimiao Police Station of the Linying County Public Security Bureau in Luohe City, Henan, to serve as instructor and police chief of the Dayuan Police Office, as well as deputy secretary of the Dayuan Village Party branch.
He is just an ordinary village police officer, yet the public calls him their "protective umbrella," children call him "Dad Chen," and his deeds have been widely celebrated in works such as the Henan opera "The Intimate Friend." He says all of this was "lifted up" by the public.
The police office Chen Xiaopan is assigned to is located in a remote rural area, where the 2,813 households under its jurisdiction are scattered like pearls along both banks of the Magou River, stretching over more than 30 sq km. In the past, the Magou River often flooded, and there was no road to travel when it rained or snowed; social conditions were complex, safety hazards were many, various conflicts had accumulated over a long period, and even village officials left one after another to work elsewhere.
In 2008, Chen Xiaopan moved his family to Dayuan Village. Using tools to repair and patch things up, he built the "first generation" police office; starting by visiting residents to understand their circumstances and concerns, he convened Party members to review the Party admission oath, unify their thinking, and join everyone in visiting households one by one.
Yuan Dianqing, who was over 80 years old, had petitioned abnormally for 12 years due to a dispute over a homestead plot. After learning about this, Chen Xiaopan communicated repeatedly with the township, and ultimately got his land returned and compensation paid, resolving the knot that had lasted for years. "I also want to do something for the people together with Xiaopan, so I feel my life has not been wasted!" After that, Yuan Dianqing insisted on voluntarily cleaning the police office and managing the village radio and large screen, becoming the "chief steward."
There were more than 40 such backlogged petition cases in the jurisdiction. Chen Xiaopan was neither impatient nor rash, moving people with emotion and convincing them with reason. Using local resources, he opened a "rural grand lecture hall" and established a distinctive "police-civilian joint mediation studio." Now, when villagers have matters to discuss, they are all willing to calm down and "chat with Xiaopan."
Starting with "small cases, small disputes, small hazards," Chen Xiaopan actively built a micro-policing information network and a three-dimensional public security prevention and control network, compiled the "Hundred-Line Classic of Rural Safety Prevention," and guided the public to form a strong joint force for mass prevention and mass governance. With the support of the public, the village has cumulatively captured more than 100 suspects, resolved more than 3,000 disputes, and eliminated more than 2,000 safety hazards.
Years of rural policing practice led him to develop a unique "five-step, dual-network" working method: "Connect deeply with local life, skillfully untie knots, investigate and prevent cases, truly help those in difficulty, and strictly observe norms" - the "five steps" forged close ties with the people; the "e+ comprehensive policing information network and umbrella-style three-dimensional public security prevention and control network" - the "dual networks" wove security for all the people.
In the past, Dayuan Village had problems such as a decline in filial piety and blurred notions of right and wrong. Chen Xiaopan knew that changing people's thinking was the foundation for long-term stability and order. Together with the village committees of 6 nearby villages, he vigorously promoted the 3 trends of "filial piety, science, and harmony," formed a Learn from Lei Feng activity group with more than 300 volunteers that went deep into schools, enterprises, and village groups; wrote moral concepts into operas that the public loves to see and hear, performed them regularly in the village, and promoted positive energy...
"In the past, I did not feel safe sleeping even with the door locked; now, I do not worry about losing things even with the door open at night." Villagers say this is all thanks to Xiaopan.
Today, Dayuan Village has maintained a record of zero petitions and zero crimes for many consecutive years, becoming one of the "Top Ten Democratic and Rule-of-Law Villages in Henan Province." Henan famous Qu opera actor Wang Qi has deep personal experience of this: "I came to Dayuan Village to perform twice: in 2007, because two lines of the opera were not sung well, bricks and tiles instantly flew onto the stage; at night, fearing intrusion and theft, the performers had to stand guard in turns. When I came again in 2013, I found that the public security environment and the level of civility had taken a big turn for the better!"
Chen Xiaopan said: "The work of ordinary people is done with heart, and the hearts of ordinary people are warmed with emotion." He made more than 8,000 "heart-connecting knots" himself, with "Police and People Are One Family" printed on the front and his name and mobile phone number on the back, and distributed them for free. Late at night on March 23, 2009, a pregnant woman surnamed Guo showed signs of going into labor. At the time, only her frail and sickly mother-in-law was present, so she had no choice but to call the number on the "heart-connecting knot." Chen Xiaopan immediately took the pregnant woman to the hospital. At past 7 the next morning, after seeing that mother and daughter were safe, he left with peace of mind.
From then on, the "heart-connecting knot" became the villagers' "protective amulet." No matter how late at night, or if it was windy or snowy, Chen Xiaopan would always arrive as quickly as possible after receiving a call. "If you have difficulties, look for Xiaopan; once you find Xiaopan, you will not be troubled." The villagers all say this.
Chen Xiaopan's home is in the urban area of Luohe, 2 hours away from the jurisdiction. Every time he goes home to rest, he deliberately takes dirt roads and rides his motorcycle by a detour through the jurisdiction to promptly handle problems reported by the public. Over 9 years, he wore out two motorcycles.
Seven years ago, Chen Xiaopan donated funds to establish the "Chen Xiaopan Warm Home for Left-Behind Children," giving more than 200 left-behind children in the village another "Dad Chen." Every New Year's Eve, he divides the money he has saved into red envelopes and gives them to people in extreme poverty... "What I do is trivial, but what I pass on is the warmth of the Party." Many people ask him: "Staying in that poor village, what exactly are you after?" He answers: "What I am after is that the old and young men in the jurisdiction treat me as one of their own family!"
Due to long-term motorcycle riding, Chen Xiaopan developed severe arthritis; because his life lacked regularity, whenever his stomach problem flared up he would break out in cold sweats all over. In 2014, he was forced to be hospitalized for treatment, and villagers traveled dozens of li, lining up in the rain to visit him at the hospital. In 2009, when the village faced a funding gap in building a square, Chen Xiaopan took the lead in donating, and villagers responded enthusiastically, donating more than 40,000 yuan in two days...
Villagers all say that a good police officer like Chen Xiaopan deserves such "lifting up."