Police bring safety, conveniences to palace square

For Zhao Hongzhong and his fellow officers at the police station in Potala Palace Square, bringing conveniences to visitors is just as important as ensuring security.

"Like Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, Potala Palace Square is the place where tourists and pilgrims to Lhasa will visit," said Zhao, head of a team of 67 officers.

The square receives around 40,000 visitors a day during peak season, and Zhao's team patrols a 160,000-square-meter area around the palace. They crack down on theft and robbery, and protect tourists from forced souvenir purchases, Zhao said.

Their job duties include providing free drinking water, medicine and oxygen for people suffering from high altitude sickness, and helping people who have lost their way or valuable belongings.

A network of 161 police stations in Lhasa ensures security, and brings conveniences to tourists and Tibetan Buddhism pilgrims.

By the end of November, 135 police stations had been set up to serve local communities in Lhasa. In July, 26 more stations opened.

Authorities have invested 500,000 yuan ($78,600) and donated 100 books to each station. People have free access to these community libraries with books in both Tibetan and Chinese about literature, economics and science. There are also children's books.

The price of a ticket to the palace has doubled from 100 to 200 yuan. Only 4,000 tickets are given out each day. Tourists must book tickets one day in advance.

"The lines were so long in the past weeks that some people started to wait in line as early as 3 am," said Bianba Puchi, 23, who is from another police station near the palace.

She said 10 people trying to resell tickets for higher prices were brought to the station on July 27. They pretended to work for tourist agencies and gave out false name cards. As first time offenders, they were released but their names were recorded to track future violations.

The police station has 19 officers. Bianba Puchi is the only female. They work around the clock, with shifts beginning at 9 am and 9 pm. Each station has someone with basic first aid skills, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Free rental bikes are provided at a police station near Lhasa No 1 Primary School. People must leave a 300 yuan deposit to rent a bike. The money is refunded if the bike is returned within 2 hours.

The station is about a 20-minute walk from the palace and a 15-minute walk from the Jokhang Temple, so riding a bike is a more convenient, cheaper option than taking a taxi and less time-consuming than riding a bus, said Wang Min, 20, the youngest officer at the station. The station has five bikes.

The station sends four to five people at noon and in the evening to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow around the school, Wang said.

Since they work in a close network, patrol officers can respond more quickly to reports of illegal activities.