Common police office benefits two provinces

Straddling the border of Anhui and Jiangsu provinces lies Danyang town, which consequently has two administrative divisions, each belonging to a different province.

The Anhui section, governed by Bowang district of Ma'anshan city is called Danyang township, while the other governed by Jiangning district of Nanjing city is called Danyang community.

At each side of the provincial border, there has been a Danyang Police Station.

"The two stations' officers often found it difficult to govern the area," said Gu Qian, a local officer.

The two places share a street, known as "Danyang Street", which has no clear physical boundary. The residents on both sides share the same dialect and customs, and pass between the provinces frequently every day.

As a result, social security conditions were much more complex than any other areas, according to police and residents.

In 2016, as provincial authorities became increasingly aware that they needed to promote integrated development, the two stations founded a common office located in the Jiangsu section.

Both stations dispatched officers to work in the "Two Provinces, One Street" police office and execute missions such as daily patrols.

"Soon after the establishment, we found that 19 of the local residents existed in both province's household registration systems," said Gu with Bowang district.

In February, the office launched a public service window allowing residents of both provinces to receive police services such as applying for identification cards.

A local resident, who gave her surname as Liu, said the window has brought her much convenience.

"For example, when I needed to transfer my household registration from my hometown in Bowang to my work place in Jiangjing, I would have to go to both side's police. Recently, I got it once and for all just on one desk," said Liu.