Commentary
When you think of a local police station—not the headquarters building but a smaller neighbourhood branch—what comes to mind? Likely a few things: a sense of security that the police are nearby if trouble brews, a place to touch base with law enforcement officers, perhaps a way for police to engage in outreach with residents. Overall, a positive vibe.
What, then, comes to mind when you learn that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has set up a “police station” around the corner from your house? Likely anything but the scenarios just listed.
China denies—of course!—that such places exist. But they do, in several cities across 50 nations worldwide, including at least five in Canada and four in the United States. It is unclear whether all these stations remain operational. The Canadian government finally began “investigating” them two years ago (who knows how long they had been in operation up until then). The RCMP announced in June 2023 that it had “shut down” these facilities….