Recognizing the high pressure in the work of Chengguans, China created its first Psychological Crisis Intervention Center for Chengguans where they can avail of counsel and support services to avoid or reduce, if not eliminate, psychological distress.
Chengguans are the law enforcement officers of China's Urban Management Bureau who have gained a notorious reputation among the public because of their hostile ways in doing their duties.
Chengguans are deployed in every Chinese city to enforce city laws and ordinances, which generally include health standards, permitting for street vendors, environmental cleanliness and the like. But there are complaints among them that there is a lack of laws and regulations that clearly define their responsibilities and a lack of guidance for executing their duty.
The fearsome reputation of Chengguans came mainly from the violence they usually inflict when dealing with illegal street vendors, beggars, informal settlers and even unregistered pets. And through the years they have been put in a stigma as bullies who abuse their authority.
Some Chengguans resent that they are a subject of public disdain, because according to them they are just performing their duties. Being the face and arms of the law and thus having direct contact with the people, they became the recipients of the public's anger to the government.
This anger is proven true in a recent incident in Nanjing where a Chengguan was stabbed to death by a street vendor he was reprimanding.
Despite the tyrant image, some Chengguans say that they also feel tension and some reported that they cannot discuss even with their families and friends the pressure they have at work because the sympathy is always at the side of the public.
The newly opened Center, which has 18 psychologists in all and is located in Nanjing, is good news for these Chengguans. Dr. Zhang Chun, one of the psychologists, said that they would not just offer counseling but they are already conducting a need assessment survey among 2000 Chengguans.
However, there are also some Chengguans who are not positive about the Center, thinking that it would just be might temporarily appealing but would soon be forgotten.
But whatever views the Chengguans have regarding the Center, it is good to hope that the Center can somehow help in easing the tension between the officers and the public.