Local police bureaux have been told to open their doors to the public in a bid to increase transparency, a senior traffic management official said yesterday.

So if you have ever wondered how authorities handle traffic emergencies, issue fines or conduct annual vehicle checks, now is your chance to find out.

Yang Jun, director of the traffic management bureau at the Ministry of Public Security, said yesterday that traffic management departments across the country should open regularly to the public to increase transparency and improve the relationship between police and local people.

The move will help improve the public's awareness of road safety, reduce accidents and give people a better understanding of police work, he said.

"The police serve the interests of the people and the people are the foundation for our work," he said.

"We will try to make the open days a regular event."

The program was launched in 36 major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, but will later be rolled out across the country, Yang said.

Everyone will be welcome to visit their local traffic control headquarters or vehicle management bureaux and speak with police teams, he said.

Officers will also show people what to do if they are involved in a traffic accident, including how to give first aid.

The first open days were held yesterday in Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan and Hainan.

In Beijing, more than 30 people visited the traffic control headquarters to see the central monitoring system, the Legal Evening News reported.

"On the big screen, we can see exactly where traffic jams and accidents are happening in the city," Zou Ping, an official with the traffic management bureau, told visitors.

He said the headquarters will be equipped with even more monitors in time for next year's Olympics.

At the vehicle management bureau in Beijing's Xicheng district, visitors also got to see some of the latest vehicles and equipment.

Taxi driver Sun Min said the visit had given her a much better understanding of what police departments do.

"I hope the open days become regular events so more people can find out about police work," she said.

(China Daily September 21, 2007)