Chapter 42

"Alright, alright, usually you don't pay attention to education, now beating the child, what's the point of that!"

Han Bo stood up, startling the parent who had hit the child, who quickly released the child and stood beside Principal Chen.

"The record is just to confirm that the arcade is operating for minors during non-holiday periods, and it won't leave a criminal record. However, this matter should be taken seriously by you parents. These are what kind of game machines, they are gambling machines! Once a child gets addicted, no amount of money is enough to lose.

"Many children have gone astray because of playing games, today they find ways to ask their parents for money, tomorrow they secretly take money from home, and when they can't get money from home, they go out to steal. You should have seen the movie 'Juvenile Delinquents.' The reason those young delinquents in the juvenile detention center ended up on the path of crime has a lot to do with their parents' lack of attention to education."

"Han Special Envoy is right, I neglected education, I'll take him back and educate him properly."

"Han Special Envoy, children have no self-control, such harmful places should be shut down. If the joint defense team doesn't manage it, the cultural station has even greater responsibility. For a few dollars, how many children's futures will be ruined!"

Principal Chen of the primary school spoke sternly, and the arcade owner hung his head, not daring to say a word.

The law is lagging behind, and the public security organs, especially he as a public security special envoy, can only apply the 'Regulations on Public Security Administration Punishments' in such situations. The 'Regulations on Public Security Administration Punishments' came into effect on January 1, 1987, and at that time, there were no electronic game arcades, let alone any provisions for their management and punishment.

Citing Article 19, Paragraph 2, "Disrupting the order of stations, docks, civil aviation stations, markets, malls, parks, theaters, entertainment venues, sports fields, exhibition halls, or other public places" is too far-fetched.

Citing Article 20, Paragraph 4, "Operating hotels, restaurants, theaters, entertainment venues, sports fields, exhibition halls, or other places where the public gathers, violating safety regulations, and failing to rectify after notification by the public security organs" is also inappropriate.

After much thought, he could only cite Article 30, Paragraph 1, and relate it to "gambling or providing conditions for gambling."

As a new official, it was a good opportunity to establish his authority.

Han Bo called the arcade owner to the opposite side and began the interrogation.

The owner was on pins and needles, repeatedly emphasizing, "Comrade police, I... I have a permit. The arcade was opened here with the approval of Director Wu, and he helped me with the procedures."

"I don't manage cultural affairs, I only manage what the public security organs should manage. One, two, three, four, five gambling machines, two mahjong machines suspected of being obscene, so many minors, the evidence is clear. Be honest, don't argue, first make a record, answer what I ask."

The time, place, name of the investigator (his own name), the name, gender, ethnicity, education level, age, date of birth, ID number, place of household registration, current address, and contact information of the person being questioned were all recorded.

This was much more serious than the record he had made for the students. The arcade was silent, and only the sound of his and Xiao Dan's questions and the scratching of the pen could be heard. The teachers and parents secretly approved, while the arcade owner was in despair.

"Lei Jianwei, I am Han Bo, the public security special envoy of Liangzhuang Township, Sigon County. This is my work permit. You are suspected of organizing gambling and providing conditions for gambling. According to the relevant regulations of the public security organs, I am legally questioning you. Do you understand?"

"Understood."

"You must answer my questions truthfully. You have the right to check the record and make corrections or supplements if there are any errors or omissions. Do you understand the above content? Do you have any requests?"

Under the pressure of the situation, with so many people watching, and the parents' anger, if he didn't cooperate, he might really be detained. The arcade owner nodded, "Understood, no requests."

When did you come to Liangzhuang, where did you buy the game machines, especially the gambling machines, how much does one game token cost, why do you allow minors to play, how many students come every day, how much income do you make every day...

You can lie, but Liangzhuang is in a remote location with low foot traffic, and with so many students, parents, and teachers here, it's easy to verify. The arcade owner didn't dare to hide anything and basically told the truth.

Handling a case is really tiring, his hand was sore from writing.

Starting from the first page, Han Bo carefully read through the record and pushed it in front of the arcade owner, "Check if the record matches what you said."

With so many people as witnesses, he shouldn't have written anything wrong.

Even so, the arcade owner checked from beginning to end, confirmed it was correct, signed, and pressed his fingerprint.

Everyone thought he would take the arcade owner away or fine him, but after organizing the record, he stood up and said, "Lei Jianwei, I orally summon you to the third-floor public security special envoy office of the township government at 9 a.m. tomorrow for processing. If you fail to appear, the consequences will be on you. Do you understand?"

Not handling it tonight, but tomorrow.

The arcade owner's thoughts became active, and he quickly said, "Understood, understood, 9 a.m. tomorrow, third floor of the township government."

The billiard room was run by a local, and it was said that the owner was a relative of a township official. It didn't involve pornography or gambling, so he could only criticize and educate, requiring the owner to hang a sign prohibiting minors from entering and not to serve students on non-holidays.

The head of the Liangzhuang Middle School's teaching department was disappointed and strongly suggested sealing the arcade.

Han Bo let the parents and a few other teachers take the children away, explaining with a bitter smile, "Director Jiang, I don't have the authority to seal the arcade or shut it down."

"You don't have the authority to seal it, but you can fine him. Fine him heavily, so he can't continue. He admitted it, signed, and put his fingerprint, why not fine him?"

"For fines of less than 50 yuan, I have the authority to impose them on the spot, but for more than 50 yuan, a certain procedure must be followed. For fines of more than 500 yuan, approval is required, and a public security administration punishment decision document with the seal of our bureau and the chief must be issued."

"Is it that complicated?"

"Legal procedures, no step can be skipped. Principal Chen, Director Jiang, this is just a temporary solution. For the sake of the children's future, I suggest your school also take action."

"Old Jiang, Han Special Envoy is right, we can't be lenient. Liangzhuang is a place that values education. Tell your principal, at 8 a.m. tomorrow, we will go to the township government and ask Director Wu what he is up to."

...

On his first day of work, handling a well-received public security case, and issuing his first fine as a public security officer, Han Bo felt accomplished. He unfastened his belt and sent Xiao Dan, who had helped him all night, home.

As they approached the village committee, Han Bo suddenly asked, "Xiao Dan, are you willing to work in Liangzhuang?"

"Back to Liangzhuang?"

"I've thought it through. The joint defense team can't be relied on, and recruiting security officers is very troublesome. The township will force you to accept someone, and if someone with connections to the township leadership makes a mistake, you can't fire them. It's better to directly request four local police officers from the bureau. The remaining 30,000 yuan in sponsorship fees will be handed over to the bureau, and the transferred personnel's files and salaries will be managed by the bureau. The township won't have much to say. Four people a year won't cost much, and the bureau will be happy to earn tens of thousands of yuan a year."

Patrol officers only have on-site handling authority, not case jurisdiction. Working with Chief Han is the same as being a public security officer, just like a police officer in a police station.

More importantly, Chief Han can talk to Factory Director Hou, who truly values him. Transferring to the public security bureau, getting a car, and helping with funding. Gao Changxing is still a public institution employee, and being a patrol captain, what can he do?

Xiao Dan couldn't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and said happily, "Chief Han, I'll follow your lead. As long as you can transfer me, I'll do whatever you ask."

He is a local and familiar with the situation, so transferring him would make work easier.

Han Bo eased off the gas and parked the car by the roadside, stroking his chin, "Transferring is easy with the bureau, but the township is the main issue. We set up a police station with four or five officers, and the joint defense team will be in a difficult position. The township, especially the comprehensive governance office, will be in a bind. It's not easy to fire someone, and without the joint defense team, there's no excuse to continue collecting the public security joint defense fee, so this can't be rushed."

Liangzhuang does have fundraising, but not as much as other townships.

Agricultural tax cannot be reduced, and the three levies and five unifications, along with various fundraising, average 220 yuan per person per year. Farmers don't make money from farming and have to go out to work.

His uncle is the village party secretary, and Xiao Dan knows many inside stories.

For example, Secretary Lu did reject many fundraising requests, but not entirely to reduce the burden on farmers. The main goal was to keep the funds in the township. The total amount of money in the people's pockets is limited, and if the city and county take too much, the township won't get any, and the salaries and medical expenses of over 300 retired cadres and teachers won't be covered.

The public security joint defense fee was not misused for eating and drinking but for paying the salaries of cadres.

With the joint defense team, it's easier to collect fees from the people. Without the joint defense team, it's considered illegal fees.

This is a delicate matter. If Secretary Lu disagrees, the police station won't be set up, and he won't be transferred. Xiao Dan said, "Chief Han, I understand, I'm not in a hurry. Also, regarding the punishment of the arcade, you need to be cautious. That guy will definitely go to Director Wu to plead for leniency, and Director Wu will go to Director Zhou, and might even go to Township Chief Zhang. Not punishing him will make him more brazen, but punishing him will force you to deposit the fine into the township treasury, which could put you in a difficult position."

"Don't worry about me, I know how to handle it. I'll go back to the bureau now to process the public security decision and get the fine receipt. I need to act decisively and not drag my feet."