This magic number is 110, a special police hotline for receiving reports about incidents, mainly crime.

Since it was opened, the hotline has played an increasingly significant role in maintaining public order.

Statistics from the Beijing Public Security Bureau indicate that in 1999, the Beijing 110 number received 790,000 calls, up 29 per cent on 1998.

In 2000, the figure increased by 70 per cent on the previous year to 1,460,000. A total of 650,000 people, with problems ranging from kidnappings to lost keys, got help from the police.

In a bid to make 110 known by more people, the police have made January 10 "110" day.

Sources in Shanghai said police there have an e-mail address too and also another 110 hotline.

It focuses on the problems of daily life where it is sometimes necessary for the police to get involved.

"The new line follows on from the original 110," said Cheng Jiulong, deputy director of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau.

The city launched its 110 service in 1993.

"To ensure that 110 could properly handle real emergencies, we opened the new line to sort out more general complaints," said Chen, adding that the move is the first of its kind in China.

Meanwhile, the launch of the new line is a further measure to open up the police system to public scrutiny. Last March the 110 service began to receive complaints about the police.

"I never thought of writing letters or phoning the public security bureau before because I thought the police would protect their own staff," said Lu Weize, a taxi driver.

But the commission for inspecting discipline also deals with complaints about the police received on the 110 line.

Cheng said many complaints can be solved very quickly although complicated ones can take up to 20 days.

Experienced staff in traffic, public order, law issues and those from the commission for inspecting discipline watch the line round-the-clock.

Senior officials of the bureau will chat on the Internet regularly with residents to hear what they think about the police.

Officers also reply to e-mails as quickly as possible. "The biggest problem we face is improving the quality of staff to ensure we can give residents satisfactory answers and a satisfactory service quickly," Cheng said.

The hotline will also cover fire control and passport problems in the near future.

(China Daily 01/09/2001)