Scary Police in China
I just had a very scary experience. I was walking home from having lunch and a blue and black uniform Chinese police officer stopped me on the streets. Talking to me in decent, English, he asked to see my passport. I responded in Chinese that I had left it at home because I wouldn’t want thieves to take it from me (pickpocketing is ever-present in parts of Southern China like Shenzhen). He asked me to “come with him”.
Running Away from the Cops in China
Now beyond lacking the ability to prove my nationality and right to be in China (because I had left my passport at home as mentioned above), I also am very suspicious of anyone who claims to be in a position of authority in China in random places (I had never seen cops strolling the streets checking foreigners for passports and taking them in if they didn’t have them before today). Instead of going with him, I just walked quickly away, turned the corner, and ran elsewhere.
Getting back to my apartment I called my girlfriend and told her about what had happened. She thought it was really strange and that it may have been fake police officers. Apparently there have been reports of such things in the Chinese news recently.
But these two were polished, and looked one hundred percent the part of high-level Chinese police officers. I was more afraid of being completely devoid of rights with real police officers in China than falling for some scam, and am thinking about taking my passport out with me for the next several days.
Why would they want my passport when I am just walking around downtown in one of the most modern cities in China? I live here, have been here for over two years, and don’t bring my passport with me everywhere I go. This is the first time someone has randomly asked to see my passport on the streets of China, and it scares me.
Were These Chinese Cops Real Cops?
Do you think they were real police officers? What would you do if they asked you to come with them when you had no identification on you?
My girlfriend said I did exactly the right thing, quickly walk away, and that next time I should try to avoid walking by or running into these kinds of police officers. Imagine that, China, a police state.
Scary stuff man! Glad you got out unscathed. Honestly, it’s one of my biggest fears being stuck in that situation. I live RIGHT beside a police station, so they’re pretty aware of my presence in the neighborhood… but if I was just wandering someplace else… open season on laowai shakedown.
Thanks for the support. Yeah, it is scary. I mean, if you run into a real police officer in a bad mood, he might just lock you away and say you had no proof of identification.
Can’t you ask his identification as well? I mean that is the only way to know if he is real. If i were you, i would have printed the page of my information and chinese visa and put it in my wallet, just to substitute bring the real stuff. Foreign students do it here, i’m not sure if it works in China.
whether he was a legit copl or not isn’t really the question here. In China and here in HK as well, you are required to carry identification with you at all times. Money has it right whereby you can get photocopies of your idea so you don’t have to show them the real thing. That will usually satisfy the cops until you can show them your real ID.
HK police officers walking the beat are allowed to ask anyone at anytime to check their ID and I’ve seen it happen. Usually they are keeping an eye out for illegal migrants from the mainland but I have heard of them asking expats for ID randomly as well. I have no problem with this…what have I got to hide?
I had two of them show up at my apartment at 11:00 pm on a Sunday night. They wanted to come in and confirm the number of people who lived with me. Yeah Right! Police don’t work at night in Shenzhen!
Yokie - Good call, that is absolutetly true. Police don’t work at night here.
Dezza - I would feel far more comfortable going somewhere with a Hong Kong police officer than a mainland China one. I would trust them a lot more.
Money & Yokie - Good call. A photo-copy is key, I’m gonna do that right away.
Money & everyone else - My girlfriend called and asked the security bureau what to do in said situation. They said the first thing to do is look at their number on their uniform, dial 110 and confirm whether or not the number is legit. If not, tell the police to come by and deal with them. If so, ask the real police officer where they are taking you. This should take care of things. Of course, without an ID you are perhaps in at least a little bit of trouble. I am just scared of not being able to prove who I am without ID… a photocopy is probably the best bet like you guys said.
I figure the local police already have me and my picture on file from applying for the resident permit. And carrying a passport is just asking for it to get stolen and then what? I use my drivers license. That would truly confuse! But it has a picture and a name. I like the idea of calling them in and confirming identity. Or there is always the “I’m Spanish. I don’t speak English”
I ususally carry my foreign expert card with me as it is considered a valid ID…I usually do the mental defective, deaf laowai imitation (it is easier for me than most) and they lose patience and leave…
As I am a 6th dan in Hapkido, I don’t worry so much about altercations, but I still do as you did whenever possible…Mush smarter…
Lonnie,
Probably a pretty bad idea to get in a fight with a Chinese officer. You will probably win, but what if they catch up to you as you run away or get it on film?
Chinese jails are not an appealing idea. I didn’t really run, just walked away as quickly as I could. He didn’t really chase me, so I guess I got the benefit of the doubt.