Curiosity drew many visitors to Shenzhen's Mangrove Natural Reserve on Sunday afternoon to follow around 12 fierce hounds, the most recent additions to the Futian police force.

This was the first time that the Futian police have incorporated dogs in the patrol since a police dog base was founded in the district this April.

The base now has 20 Rottweilers and German Shepherds, which started patrolling parks in Futian on Sunday, including the Lotus Hill Park and the Central Park.

"Patrol dogs are widely used in the world in keeping social order and arresting crime suspects. The use of these dogs in Futian is a move to terrify criminals and crack down on roadside crimes, especially robberies, and hence create a safe environment in the district," said He Jinbiao, head of the Futian police dog base.

According to He, Rottweilers and German Shepherds are recognized for their bravery, strength and speed. They are very suitable for patrols in densely populated areas, such as commercial areas, parks and checkpoints. The dogs can also perform many tasks better than human beings, such as tracing suspects among crowds.

In order to set up the base, the first one in Futian, the Futian police trained 10 policemen as dog guides for six months at the police dog training center in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, which is one of the most famous police dog training centers in China. All the policemen received police dog guide certificates issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

"The 20 patrol dogs are an important part of police patrols in Futian and will play a significant role in public security control and crime crackdown," said an official surnamed Liu with the Futian police.

The dogs will patrol Futian's parks as well as crime-infested areas every day.

(Shenzhen Daily November 15, 2005)