Shield people in uniform from attack while in the line of duty

Two suspects attacked two policemen, who were making enquiries about them, with knives, seriously injuring them. The two police officers died in hospital in Huai’an, Jiangsu province, on Monday morning. The two suspects were on the wanted list and fled soon after killing the policemen. They were traced and arrested later in the afternoon.

However, it is too late for the two policemen who died. Around 303 police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2018. Though the number has been falling over the years, the safety of those who protect our lives cannot be compromised.

There are those who say that police officers have taken an oath to sacrifice their lives to protect the public, but that does not mean such a sacrifice is must. The police officers do not benefit from doing such risky jobs. It is the sense of honor that motivates them to face risks bravely when they could easily have saved their lives by just retreating.

In the United States, the number of police officers who died in the line of duty dropped to its lowest levels in four years in 2017. Officials attributed it to advances in safety gear and training. Around 128 federal, state and local law enforcement officers died in the US that year, down 10 percent from the year before, a report said.

It needs to be emphasized that police officers in China, too, need better gear to protect themselves in the line of duty. To begin with, they could be better equipped. In the Huai’an case, the two policemen were attacked with a knife. In the future, when carrying out inspections, policemen should be equipped with helmets and stab-proof vests; or even bullet-proof vests, as the suspects could be armed with firearms. That would mean additional costs but it would be worth it for the security of police officers.