Binjiang Police Affairs

Hanging up the phone, the office fell into silence.

Han Yu really wanted to slip away, but since the director hadn't spoken, he couldn't leave. Just as he was thinking that he should not have come today knowing that such a situation would arise, Director He suddenly extinguished his cigarette and looked up.

"Salted Fish, the chief of the Economic Police at the Port Authority is definitely worth a director's position, at least equivalent to it. As people aspire to go higher and water flows lower, if you want to transfer there, I wholeheartedly support you."

"Director He, I was originally part of the Water Police and now a Changhang Public Security Officer, I'm used to staying on the water and haven't thought about going ashore, not to mention I still need to build a new boat."

"Opportunities do not come twice, and as far as I know, Secretary Miao is indeed very concerned about you."

"Director He, you care about me too."

"But you know the current situation, staying in the branch doesn't have a future."

Han Yu didn't believe that Secretary Miao's sudden intervention would make the man before him admit defeat. After all, although Binjiang Port had been transferred to the city, the Port Authority still had to accept the management of the Ministry of Transport, and Binjiang Port still belonged to the Changhang system.

In the eyes of several leaders at the Port Authority, Director He disobeying seemed like him wanting to "rebel", but to the leaders of the Changhang system, isn't it the same as the Port Authority leaders wanting to "rebel".

As Yang San's father said, the position of head of the Economic Police Team is not easy to handle nor even suitable!

Han Yu didn't want his direct boss to think he was indecisive, and hurriedly said: "Director He, what is a future? If it was just about getting promoted, I would have transferred long ago, if it was about getting rich I wouldn't be in the police."

If someone else said this, Director He might not believe it.

But the young man before him was not just anybody, he indeed had many better options, but he willingly stayed at the increasingly desolate Bailong Port.

Director He was very satisfied with Han Yu's attitude, and couldn't help but laugh: "Speaking of building a new boat, we can't delay it any further. The weather is getting warmer, and the eel fry might start migrating in half a month, by then you would need to participate in joint law enforcement. We've got to finalize the new boat construction before the 'big eel catch battle' starts."

Han Yu hadn't expected the chief to bring up building a new boat at this critical moment, and instinctively asked, "How will it be determined?"

"Organize a tender."

Director He smiled slightly, and said leisurely: "We need to prepare the tender documents quickly, and the personnel for the evaluation panel should be invited according to those identified in the last meeting, I'll have the office handle the logistics in a bit."

In Han Yu's mind, building a new boat was the real big deal, compared to that, the minor conflicts between the branch and the Port Authority didn't count as an issue, he mused: "The information is ready, the priority is to produce the tender documents, after printing they must be hurriedly sent to the prospective bidders, giving them time to estimate the costs."

"The design units and shipbuilding companies do this for a living; giving them three to four days is enough, including their travel time, let's tentatively set the tender date for the 16th."

"The two sessions start in Linghai on the 16th."

"Almost forgot, you are a member of the Linghai Political Consultative Conference. The conference is just about raising hands, you can take leave."

"Okay, I'll go back and prepare the tender documents, bring them back for printing and stamping, and try to send them out by the end of work tomorrow."

"Alright, it's settled then."

…

Han Yu left the branch but didn't rush back to Bailong Port, instead, he hurried to the City Agricultural Bureau, to meet former chief of the Water Police Division and now Deputy Director of the Agricultural Bureau, Zhou Hong.

The smuggling case was making progress, with various signs indicating that Snake Head was organizing people to smuggle by sea using boats. Although it was still unclear whether the smuggling boats would pass through the Binjiang Sea Area, preparations had to be made.

Han Yu briefly and concisely introduced the case details, Zhou Hong immediately agreed, saying: "Our Fishery Administration Ship is docked at San Zao Port, it just underwent major repairs before the New Year to combat illegal eel fry fishing. It can be deployed anytime."

"Thanks, Director Zhou."

"What's there to thank, you have helped our Fishery Administration for so many years, it's rare that you need to borrow a ship from us, how can we not help?"

Director Zhou smiled and then added: "Salted Fish, enforcing law at sea is different from enforcing on the river, I suggest you better communicate with the border defense, after all, going out to sea is almost like crossing the border."

"I understand, and this case is not just under our Changhang Bureau, it's jointly investigated with the Linghai Police Bureau. If it's confirmed that the smuggling boat will pass through the Binjiang Sea Area, the leadership of the Linghai Police Bureau will notify the San Zao Port Border Police Station."

"That reassures me."

Zhou Hong nodded, then with a smile again asked: "Salted Fish, I heard there's some friction between your division and the Port Authority?"

Han Yu gave a wry smile, asking: "You've heard too?"

"Binjiang is only so big, besides, I came from the Port Authority, the Port Authority is my old unit, Changhang Bureau can be considered my old unit too, they are making quite a stir, it would be impossible for me not to know."

"Director Zhou, what do you think?"

"Can't really blame Secretary Miao, nor can we blame He Bin, after all, it's because relationships are not well managed. Since they've split up, while accepting vertical leadership from the Changhang Police Bureau on personnel matters and dual leadership from the Changhang Police Bureau and Binjiang City Police on operational matters, funding should also be under vertical control."

Director Zhou lit a cigarette and sighed lightly, "Getting paid by the Port Authority and dining on its dime, yet in personnel matters, not respecting the opinions of the Port Authority, anyone would feel uncomfortable in this position."

This is indeed the crux of the problem.

After a moment of silence, Han Yu said helplessly, "It's not just our bureau, brother bureaus are the same, funding for Changhang Police all comes from port and shipping enterprises."

"If at that time we had directly transferred the management of Binjiang Port Police Station to Binjiang City Police Department, there wouldn't have been so many issues. Let's not talk about this anymore, these matters are not of much concern to you. But one thing you should be aware of, in matters between leaders, there's no need for you to take sides or get involved."

"I understand."

"Good that you know. Since you rarely come here, let's have dinner together tonight. I'll call Political Commissioner Wang, it's been a long time and a good chance to catch up."

"Director Zhou, I appreciate your kindness, but I have a ton of things to deal with urgently back at home. I'll treat you next time."

...

Just as Han Yu was rushing back to Bailong Port by car, Director He was sitting at his desk flipping through a phone book, calling leaders far away in Hanwu.

"…Although we failed to secure supporting funds from the city and the Port Authority, we cannot just stop construction because of the lack of funds. The fire on New Year's Eve was a wake-up call, if not for an old tugboat that was converted into a fire rescue vessel providing offshore water supply, it wouldn't have been so easy to put out such a big fire in such a short time."

Director He looked up and saw Political Commissioner Jiang just walking in, continuing on the phone, "Director Lu, we just had a party committee meeting recently, and have decided that even if it means selling the iron pot, we will proceed with building a professional fire rescue vessel, even preparing for five to ten years of tough times..."

The Director's determination to build a new vessel was evident.

Political Commissioner Jiang quietly pulled up a chair and sat across, waiting for the Director to finish reporting to his superiors, then whispered, "Director He, what's happening?"

"We have organized the bidding for the design of the new ship on the 16th, I've asked Salted Fish to prepare the bidding documents, and I've also made calls to the Yangtze Navigation Bureau and our Changhang Police Bureau leaders. This is the first professional fire rescue vessel ever to be built in the history of the Changhang Police System; it's highly valued by the superiors, saying they will make time to attend the bidding ceremony in Binjiang if they are not too busy."

What a time to still think of building new ships...

Political Commissioner Jiang hesitated for a moment, looking distressed, "Director He, my spouse just called me."

"Old Jiang, is there something wrong at home?" Director He offered a cigarette, knowingly asking.

A position demands corresponding actions.

As the Political Commissioner of Changhang Bureau, comrade Old Jiang couldn't just sit back and joke about the Director, he took the cigarette and forced a smile, "My spouse told me that a few people from the City Bureau have arrived and are reporting to Secretary Miao."

"Secretary Miao doesn't oversee police matters; what are they reporting to Secretary Miao?"

"I heard that Secretary Miao plans to restore the Security Department and also set up an Economic Police Team under it. The City Bureau people probably came for this."

"That's a good thing!"

Director He burst into laughter, speaking as if he was recounting treasures, "I remember clearly, as early as December 1980, the State Council had conveyed an implementation plan jointly drafted by the Ministry of Police, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance, National Labor Bureau, and the Commerce Bureau for establishing Economic Police, requiring that by the end of 1981, important large factories, mines, material warehouses, financial institutions, and significant scientific research units must gradually establish Economic Police forces."

Political Commissioner Jiang didn't expect the Director to respond this way, reminding him, "It may not necessarily be a good thing for us."

"How can it not be a good thing?"

"Director He, think about it, the port area is only so big, if an Economic Police Team is set up, what else are we supposed to do?"

"Old Jiang, are you worried that the newly formed Economic Police Team will sideline us?"

"It's hard to say, Director He, shall I accompany you to the Port Authority to report our situation to Secretary Miao?"

"What's there to report, everything that needed reporting is already done."

Director He, who had already thought of a counter-strategy, watched his partner with a smile, "Old Jiang, you should think about it differently. Because over the past decades, we have changed from shipping police to enterprise police and back to shipping police again. This makes us seem not like police but just a bunch of corporate internal security to some people.

A unit, just like a person, depends on how it is compared. Once the Economic Police Team is established, they will be the genuine corporate internal security. With them as a backdrop, we will seem like real police in the eyes of others."

From this perspective, establishing an Economic Police Team by the Port Authority is really not a bad thing for the bureau.

Political Commissioner Jiang admired the Director's mental agility, but still hesitantly said with a bitter smile, "Director He, the key is once the Economic Police Team is established, they will turn the port area into their jurisdiction. According to the regulations of Economic Police, they do have certain law enforcement powers within corporate security."

Director He casually said, "What law enforcement powers, they can only handle small thieves, fights, and other security cases."

Political Commissioner Jiang ruefully said, "But in reality, those are exactly the types of cases we handle."

One must admit, Changhang Bureau is indeed in an awkward position.

Theoretically, security cases, criminal cases, and firefighting in the port area are governed by Changhang Bureau, but in reality, household registration in the Port District is managed by the Binjiang City Police Port District Bureau, major criminal cases are also under Binjiang City Police, and if even theft and fighting, these minor cases, are managed by the newly set up Port Authority Economic Police Team, then Changhang Bureau would have nothing left to do.

Director He wiped the corner of his mouth and casually smiled, "Old Jiang, it's not as grave as you think. Although Economic Police are also police, they are ultimately corporate security forces. Besides, even if they can manage the port area, can they manage over the river? Can they govern the security of ten kilometers of water area in the port district?"