Police in the Chinese capital city of Beijing have for the first time covered 100 per cent of the sprawling city of over 21 million people under video surveillance and deployed more officers to improve the security facilities during the current weeklong holidays.
City police have covered every corner of the capital with a video surveillance system, the Beijing Public Security Bureau said stating that complete coverage by the video system during the National Day holiday is part of a move to tighten the capital's security and avoid crimes in crowds.
The video surveillance system has covered 100 per cent of the capital during the holiday, the first time that the system has provided complete coverage in the city since being upgraded in 2012, a statement by the bureau said.
Additionally, the police presence has been improved in crowded places such as markets, bus stations and parks.
China is virtually shutdown for a week since October 1 to celebrate the National Day during which millions of people visit different cities putting pressure on the public security system.
The capital's tourism committee said, a total of 2.7 million travellers visited 180 major scenic spots in the city on October 2, a 12 per cent increase year-on-year.
The measures followed number of tragedies including this year's new year stampede at Shanghai's beach front in which 36 people were killed and 42 others injured.
During the current holiday season, police so far had detained 23 people suspected of stealing and theft in crowded places in Beijing.
As the highest-level video surveillance system was launched in downtown Beijing, the Patrol Corps under Beijing's Public Security Bureau also launched a video monitoring system throughout 19 sub-bureaus in districts and counties, as well as in 362 police stations, the bureau said.
As part of the effort, the number of surveillance cameras on streets across the city has increased 29 per cent year-on-year, state-run China Daily reported.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 4,300 police officers have been asked to take charge of their local video surveillance systems, the bureau said.
Based on the systems, the police solved more than 1,500 cases, up 22 per cent year-on-year, and caught 2,370 suspects, up 5 per cent year-on-year, it said.
