Blogs, or weblogs, are becoming more popular as the number of Internet users continues to grow. They are also one of the means celebrities and movie stars use to further boost their reputation and fame, and their blogs are always the center of attention among Internet users.

Celebrities are not the only ones with popular blogs. People's Daily reports China's first "police blog," launched last year by Hebei Province's Public Security Bureau, is even more popular than the blogs of many pop stars.

The founder of the police blog, Hao Chao, is a policeman and is proud of introducing something new, initially to the media and now to the public, in an effort to showcase hardships policemen face and difficulties they experience at work.

The police blog was an overnight hit, claiming more than one million visitors in its first two months.

Netizens approve of the project, saying it has helped them to learn more about the police, their work and lives. They say they have learned police are ordinary people who need understanding, support and communication.

The blog has also allowed the public to submit suggestions on how the police force can improve. Some say police in high- ranking positions should be encouraged to improve law enforcement and be more efficient with making decisions. Others write the police should own up to their mistakes bravely instead of covering them up.

A Public Security Bureau officer, Shi Guanzhong, said the police were touched after seeing the supportive, kind messages people left on their blog.

The police hope the blog will help them enlarge their influence and better serve the people. They now plan to increase the content on the blog, including discussions of typical crime cases and open forums on the law and police work.

"The First Police Blog" is expected to become a two-way interactive channel for communication between the police-people and the public.

(CRI July 21, 2006)