Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 1223 - 76: "Police Consultant" (2)

I'm not very familiar with Binjiang; even less so with Dongqi.

Xu Haoran was at a loss for words, and Liu Xinpei chuckled, saying, "Haoran, Captain Zhang, isn't it just gathering clues? Do you really need to run around like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Find Salted Fish; he has many friends!"

"He's busy organizing training for crew members, and besides, he's now the Water Anti-smuggling Director. We're in the Investigation Department. If we ask him for help, the new director will definitely think we're slacking off."

"You're all in the same unit now, why bother being so clear-cut?"

Zhang Baoqing knew Liu Xinpei used to be a water police officer, and explained with a wry smile: "Our Deputy Director used to be the Political Commissioner of Dongru Police Bureau, and the new director is a former police station chief and criminal police big commander. Although they have extensive experience in police work, they haven't tackled smuggling before, and they think combating smuggling is similar to investigating ordinary cases."

Liu Xinpei laughed and asked, "Using the local police methods to combat smuggling?"

"Pretty much." Zhang Baoqing confirmed helplessly: "They ask each of us to cultivate a few informants, and be fully aware of the smuggling situation on the river. But the mobility of ships and personnel on the river is so high, and we're a newly established unit; even if we cultivate a few informants, it's difficult to meet their requirements."

"Did they assign you tasks to combat smuggling?"

"Yes."

"Then you should go to the foreign trade wharf at Binjiang Port, or the anchorage, board the foreign trade ships for inspection, see if the crew smuggle goods."

"We'd love to, but our Smuggling Crime Investigation Bureau has just been established, and many relations with Customs haven't been sorted out. When foreign trade ships enter and exit the port, people from the Customs Inspection Department go to inspect. Previously, the Inspection Department didn't have guns; now, the superior arranged for the armed police to assist them in duty, they can board ships with armed police to inspect."

"If they go, it's not convenient for you to follow?"

"It's the same for the supervised cargo depot, the Supervision Department and Inspection Department will inspect, and problems that meet the criteria for criminal accountability are handed over to us."

Their work is hard to proceed: cannot intervene in large ships, and small boats are difficult to check.

Taking initiative sounds easy but isn't simple at all.

More importantly, their unit has just been founded. Unlike other units which can establish informant networks through past work, these first batch of anti-smuggling police since New China's founding don't have that foundation.

Liu Xinpei pondered and then chuckled, asking: "Your Investigation Department doesn't have many people, and Binjiang is so vast that you can hardly cover it. Haven't all districts and counties established Anti-Smuggling Offices? Salted Fish even served as Linghai Anti-Smuggling Office Director for a few days; you can approach each district's Anti-Smuggling Office for assistance."

"This task Ma Guan and Political Commissioner Zhou are handling, even if bureau leadership doesn't, we would be ignored if we went. Members of each district's Anti-Smuggling Leadership Group are either district leaders or the bureau and committee heads; do we qualify to converse with them?"

"True, only Salted Fish can ask them for help."

...

Meanwhile, eight guests arrived at Villa Number 2 in the Rescue Boat Battalion Camp.

Former Binjiang Port Police Bureau Criminal Investigation Department Director Jiang Xiaojun, former Yanjiang Police Station Instructor Li Weiguo, former Water Police Station Water Police Fourth Team Big Commander Jia Yongqiang, and former Dongqi Police Bureau Criminal Police Big Commander Wu Minde, invited by Han Yu, came for recuperation with their spouses!

The villa seemed small but had plenty of rooms, enough for four families.

Meals could be had at the camp canteen or made in the villa with available gas stoves, refrigerators, and kitchenware.

Spring blooms, the scenic Lang Mountain foothills are much appreciated by the old veterans.

Old Jiang glanced back at the four ladies who were watching mountain rains from the sunroom, and chuckled, "I never thought I'd enjoy the Commander's treatment; Salted Fish, we're all benefiting from your connections."

"Indeed, this was once a place only for senior officials!" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Summer here is definitely cooler than outside; Salted Fish, can we stay until summer?"

"Of course, as long as I'm the Big Commander of the Rescue Boat Team, you can stay as long as you want."

"Really?"

"Uncle Li, how could I deceive you."

Han Yu pointed to Villa Number 1 nearby and laughed, "Ge Diao said yesterday, if you find it cramped here, you can move to his place. It's just him and my master's wife, with several empty rooms."

Li Weiguo promptly said, "No need, it's not cramped here; besides, he's now a city leader. We old friends are fine living together; living with the city leader would be uncomfortable."

Old Jiang, Old Jia, and Old Wu nodded in agreement, thinking that while employed, it's important to respect leaders; after retirement, there's no need to flatter them.

All are family here; no need for formality.

While assisting the four elders with tea, Han Yu explained the real reason for inviting them for "recuperation."

"Salted Fish, we're retired now. Is it suitable for us to guide your subordinates? Moreover, anti-smuggling police work is still police work; the nature of police work dictates that everything requires confidentiality."

"Uncle Jiang, Uncle Li, starting now, you're advisors to our Water Anti-Smuggling Department; Ma Guan and Political Commissioner Zhou agreed to it. They even plan to visit you in a few days."

"Stop joking; we're different from Ge Diao; we aren't qualified to be advisors!"

"I'm not joking."

Han Yu smiled and explained: "Police work being somewhat special means what police academies teach is basic knowledge; they don't teach the real stuff. Moreover, many personnel in our Water Anti-Smuggling Department are transferred officers and veterans, who haven't attended police academy. Such indicates the importance of 'mentoring and assisting.'"

Jiang Xiaojun laughed and asked, "You want us to mentor them?"

"Uncle Jiang, you and Captain Wu are old criminal police, Uncle Li is experienced in pre-trial, Uncle Jia in security; with you four guiding, I won't need to solicit instructors in security, criminal investigation, and pre-trial from outside. Even if I did, external instructors wouldn't be as professional as you."

"So your Water Anti-Smuggling Department will handle cases independently in the future?"

"Absolutely."

Han Yu, fearing the elders might be unwilling, pretended displeasure and said: "Do you know what Director Wang from the bureau's Investigation Department said about our Water Anti-Smuggling Department? He said they're investigators; we're all just ship crew, clearly looking down on us!"

Li Weiguo laughed, looked at him, and said: "Actually, Director Wang wasn't wrong; you are indeed crew."

"But we are more than just crew; not to brag, we aim to be multi-talented: crew, investigators, firefighters, rescue team members, and combatants! In future maritime law enforcement, faced with pirates or armed smugglers, we indeed need to combat them."

"Makes sense; that's our tradition at Yanjiang Police Station!"

"But in security, criminal investigation, and pre-trial, I'm inexperienced. Only you elders can step in."

"No problem, we'll take on mentoring the new officers; didn't expect to mentor disciples after retiring, hahaha."

"Uncle Li, I won't let you mentor for nothing. Ma Guan and Political Commissioner Zhou mentioned, if we genuinely become capable of handling cases independently and confiscations result in fines and returns, then I can pay you consulting and teaching fees. After all, our Water Anti-Smuggling Team is in training, and training costs money."

"Having work, getting paid, where else can you find such a good deal? Salted Fish, it's settled then."

"Thank you, Uncle Jiang, for the support!"

Wu Minde curiously asked, "Salted Fish, is Ge Diao also your consultant?"

Han Yu smiled and explained: "Ge Diao is an expert for the Rescue Boat Team; he's a 'military advisor,' distinct from you 'police advisors.' You're dealing with different matters."

"He's a military advisor!"

"He was a senior expert in the Linghai Reserve Camp, akin to an Army military advisor; now transitioning to a Navy military advisor, even the Navy Chief knows him."

Old Ge has such stature that even after stepping back from frontline work could be promoted to Deputy Researcher.

Li Weiguo and Jiang Xiaojun dared not compare with Old Ge; knowing that before retirement, they stood at attention and saluted upon meeting Old Ge, recognizing his authority as the then Linghai Transportation Bureau Director.