Beijing residents on Sunday found another exciting event to while away their long National Day holiday: experiencing the Beijing police publicity tour.

In Longtan Park in southern Beijing, 29 police departments under the Beijing Public Security Bureau showcased their top performances in a bid to encourage the public to join their security efforts.

An exhibition of police history displayed austere Mao-era uniforms, performances by police employees and martial arts acrobatics by officers.

At pavilions for detectives, patrol police and fire-fighting departments, visitors saw bullet-proof and other special vehicles, pistols and guns, fingerprint recognition system and other equipment that once used to be a mystery to ordinary people.

The police also gave advice to the public on fighting crime.

The most exciting part of the one-day event allowed visitors to emulate police officers and search for a landmine or drugs.

(People's Daily October 7, 2002)