Police officer goes beyond duty in Inner Mongolia

The rumble of a motorcycle engine breaks the silence of the grassland, its tires tracing winding paths across terrain where roads often give way to bare rock and scrub.

Behind the handlebars is Baoyindeligeer, a grassroots police officer of the Mongolian ethnic group and a member of the Communist Party of China at the Tsog-Under township police station in Urad Rear Banner, Bayannuur, Inner Mongolia autonomous region. During his 29-year career, he has turned the vast pastures into his daily office — and the scattered herding families who live there into his extended family.

"I'm not just a police officer here. I'm a neighbor, a friend and a member of every herdsman's family," he said.

His jurisdiction spans a vast border region with more than 8,000 residents from seven ethnic groups, including Han, Mongolian, Hui, Manchu, Miao and Li, as well as more than 2,000 migrant workers. Determined to reach every household, he spends no fewer than 20 days each month — up to 260 days a year — traveling across some of the region's most remote grasslands.

The terrain is so rugged that his motorcycle frequently gets stuck, but that has never deterred him. Since 1997, he has logged 1.6 million kilometers on his motorcycles, mediating 583 civil disputes, handling 165 public security cases and helping solve six criminal cases.

One of the most memorable disputes involved two neighboring herding families whose disagreement over access to a shared water well had lasted for more than a decade. According to the local government's division of grazing land, the well was located within one family's designated pasture, leading them to claim unrestricted access. The other family, however, had drilled the well before the land was divided and repeatedly blocked or restricted its use.

Rather than relying solely on formal mediation, Baoyindeligeer made repeated visits to the families' settlements, helping clean sheep pens and assisting with daily chores while patiently building trust. His people-centered approach gradually eased tensions and eventually led both families to agree to share the existing water source.

The dispute was ultimately resolved through broader government support. As part of the national poverty alleviation campaign, authorities drilled separate wells for each household, bringing the decade-long conflict to a definitive end.

His work extends far beyond maintaining public order. During his regular patrols, he realized that many families living across the vast grassland had difficulty receiving mail and essential supplies. To address the problem, he applied for a mailbox at the local post office and invited herders to use it as their permanent mailing address.

Over the years, that single mailbox has grown into a network of 50 designated parcel collection and delivery points across Urad Rear Banner.

The range of deliveries has also expanded significantly. Herders now order veterinary medicines, vehicle parts and daily necessities online, while migrant workers at remote construction sites regularly receive parcels from their families, ranging from instant noodles to clothing.

"We deliver once or twice a week, sometimes more," he said.

His commitment to serving the community also inspired local residents to volunteer. In 2017, he paid the entire 30,000 yuan ($4,433) registration fee out of his own pocket to establish a volunteer service association.

The association has since grown to 189 members, who provide services ranging from doorstep parcel delivery and emergency response to daily assistance for herding families scattered across the grasslands.

"Our entire effort is rooted in grassroots work — mediating disputes, delivering services and handling cases. Because we live in a multiethnic region, every service we provide and every case we handle ultimately contributes to ethnic unity. Over the years, these interactions have brought us together like one family," he said.

For Baoyindeligeer, every patrol across the grassland is a reminder of his calling.

"I may wear a police uniform, but out here, I'm first and foremost a neighbor and a friend."