Fan favorites

Ding appeared in the fifth season of the series, and as one of the station's new and younger faces he became a fan favorite.

Qi Xiangyu appeared in season three of the series and was an instant hit with viewers, mostly because of his good looks.

However, when he was being filmed, it was the first year of his police career, and the busy workload at Pozijie station almost broke him mentally.

When people seek help from the police, it is often at their most vulnerable times and they are sometimes hysterical. It is difficult for new police officers to not be affected by such situations, while trying to contain their own emotions and remain professional, he said.

"As the cases kept coming, whenever I was on duty there was no time for me to have a mental lapse or feel sorry for myself," he said. "There is nothing I can do. Emotion is a luxury at Pozijie."

Xiang Yifeng, 25, another popular police officer, said for young officers it is important for them to have all the facts and evidence before talking to a suspect if they want to obtain a confession to an alleged crime.

"I try to show my authoritative side in front of them, communicate with them with firsthand evidence, and respect them, so they are not dismissive of me," he said.

However, he is also acutely aware police officers cannot be everywhere at once.

For example, some underage offenders from broken homes tend to repeatedly commit minor crimes, as they know they are protected by the Law on Protection of Minors. There is not much that the police can do in these situations, Xiang said.

As a mother of two young children, Wu said she pays special attention to cases involving minors.

She has dealt with cases of children stealing at a very young age, and it is heartbreaking for her, she said.

"You just realize that not everyone is fortunate to be born into a happy family and small children are able to do bad things under the persuasion of others," she said.

Therefore, it is very important for police to talk and educate them as early as possible. Many of them are still afraid of the police and what they say matters to them, she said. "However, we are not their savior and we can only do so much," she said.

Qi now handles criminal investigations, but due to the popularity of the show he is sometimes recognized by members of the public while he is undercover.

"I do not consider myself a celebrity, and fame does not add much to the career of a police officer professionally, who are recognized and validated by their professional skills," he said.

Qi said his police career at the station and in criminal investigations has enabled him to understand the true complexity of humanity and society, so he does not judge anyone on first appearances. "I have seen too much and what is aired in the documentary is much less exciting and subdued than what is happening to real police officers," he said.

The profession has forced him to grow, and Qi believes he is much more realistic and mature than people of a similar age.

"There is still much to learn from seasoned police officers, but us in the younger generation are using new ways and information technology in assisting criminal investigations," he said.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn