Police officer detained for beating driver

A traffic police officer was detained for 10 days and three auxiliary policemen - or community support officers - were dismissed after they were found to have beaten up a driver, Chang'an branch of Xi'an Public Security Bureau announced on Wednesday in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

The incident happened on July 6, when a truck driver surnamed Hui from Henan province was traveling through Chang'an, a district of Xi'an.

He was fined 300 yuan ($47) and deducted 15 penalty points on his driving license by an auxiliary policeman, who also said Hui's truck license plate was dirty.

The following day Hui went to the traffic police office to appeal the penalties, accompanied by a fellow truck driver Wang Jinwu, who often helps colleagues defend their rights.

Wang quarreled with the traffic policemen, and was beaten by a policeman named Zhuo Jianzhou and three auxiliary policemen named Ye Jianjun, Liu Pan and Wang Minggang.

Wang Jinwu recorded the whole incident on a camera hidden under his clothes and later put the recording online.

Zhang Bo, secretary of discipline inspection committee of Chang'an branch of Xi'an Public Security Bureau, told China Daily on Thursday that his branch launched an investigation into the case, resulting in the punishment on the policeman and three auxiliary policemen on July 10.

The branch also punished four leading police officers at Chang'an traffic police brigade and withdrew the sanctions against Hui, Zhang said.

The leaders of Chang'an traffic police brigade visited Wang Jinwu on July 10 and apologised to him.

Wang was slightly injured and received medical treatment on July 8. His condition improved enough by July 11, and he returned home to Henan, Zhang said.