Two policemen, Zhang Xinmin and Ou Guangquan, who died while
working in the unprecedented snow havoc, were posthumously
conferred the title of hero and model of all Chinese policemen on
Saturday.
Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu signed an order here to
grant a medal and certificate of merit to the men. The order said
the exemplary deeds of the comrades fully reflected the spirit of
new-period police, "loyal, dependable, just, brave, valiant,
disciplined and devoted".
Zhang, born in October 1957 and a member of the Communist Party
of China (CPC), joined the police in 1980. He was a class I police
supervisor in the traffic police branch of Hefei, capital of the
eastern Anhui Province.
When the worst snow and ice in five decades hit the southern
portion of the country, he voluntarily asked to work on the
front-line to battle against the extreme weather. He braved the
cold snap, working at his post for more than 10 days consecutively
to direct traffic flow.
In the early morning of Jan. 23, Zhang died in a traffic
accident while on patrol.
Ou, born in June 1946 and a CPC member, joined the police in
1979. As a police supervisor Class II, he worked for the detention
house of Taijiang County, Guizhou Province.
During the worst snow havoc, he worked more than 10 hours daily
in the detention house that had suffered a blackout and was without
water supply.
In the afternoon of Jan. 21, Ou died of a cerebral haemorrhage
at his post due to overwork.
(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2008)