Shanghai's blitz against traffic violations has seen dozens of offenders taken into custody for obstructing police work.

One viral video recorded during the crackdown shows a woman lying on her face, wailing as a police officer presses her down. Viewers might be curious as to what prompted this seemingly "heavy-handed" treatment. Later it was disclosed that the woman was stopped for cycling on the wrong side of the road, but refused to pay a fine. The confrontation escalated from angry words into a melee with the woman allegedly kicking an officer in the groin.

The footage, however, raises important questions. For example, under what circumstances is it legitimate for police to use force? Are there regulations dictating how front-line officers should behave in crisis scenarios?

These questions have long awaited answers — and they finally came in the form of an instructional video seen by tens of thousands of Chinese police officers in late July. Released by the Ministry of Public Security, the video is meant to address many officers' questions about how far they can go in handling obstructions of their work.

Some typical obstructive scenarios encountered by officers include the following: A motorist refuses to step out of the car when asked to do so at a police checkpoint; a police order for an ID check is met with non-compliance; suspects or their relatives harass officers by clinging to their legs, grappling or tussling with them, or worse.

There have also been repeated stories about people lying in the middle of the road, blocking traffic in a petty attempt to aggravate the police.

If such intransigence is not dramatic enough, there are even women who have stripped down to their underwear in full public view, apparently convinced that embarrassed officers will walk away and let them off the hook.

Such clownish escapades warrant a better, more forceful response from our officers. Alas, many of them, wary of crossing the line, are too timid to act.

The government's recent video thus offers much-needed guidelines on how to overcome these forms of obstruction.

For example, in dealing with citizens who cling to their legs, officers are to squat down and persuade them to get back on their feet. When officers encounter situations where they have arms thrown around them, they are permitted to "elbow" their way free or "twist the arms of their assailants."

According to the video, however, it is forbidden to punch citizens, pull their hair or go for a Judo-style neck lock.

Tips are also given on how to deal with drivers who refuse to comply with police road checks. First, officers are advised to keep a safe distance from vehicles; then they are supposed to talk the drivers into following orders. Diplomacy is preferred but if it is met with failure, and if other peaceful means are exhausted, officers can opt to break the car windows — with prior permission from higher authority.

They are also required to avoid causing injuries to passengers inside and clean up the mess afterward.

Do's and don'ts

All these suggested methods promise to go a long way toward informing frontline officers of the do's and don'ts in carrying out their duties. This also significantly reduces the room for personal whims in law enforcement, something that tends to exacerbate tensions.

In fact, standard law enforcement procedures also are meant for the safety of officers themselves. The levels of risks associated with a policing job are reflected in a slew of reported cases of officers being fatally dragged or hit by drivers run amok. Giving them license to use emergency measures — like breaking car windows or puncturing tires — helps put them out of harm's way.

While police tyranny isn't totally unheard of in China, the idea that Chinese officers are vested with too much power is wrong. Their occasional inability to crack down on the aforementioned antics leads not just to a higher personal risk, but also to a compromising of their image as "unassailable" guardians of public security.

Another thing remarkable about the video is that it informs officers that they cannot prevent onlookers from lawfully filming the law enforcement process.

Xinhua published an online editorial saying that officers should reconcile themselves with the new rule, live with the fact that their behavior will be monitored every step of the way, and accept public scrutiny of their work.

The editorial added, rather cogently, that lawful documentation of police work strengthens the belief that the public and officers are not there to make life difficult for each other. Instead, both should strive for a common goal, namely, the development of a society ruled by law.