Fulfilling an American Police Officer's Travel Dream: Meeting Chinese Counterparts

Mike's emails always arrived around 3:00 AM Chicago time. This American police officer, whom I'd never met, was coming to Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Shanghai for a 12-day trip. But the topic of our frequent correspondence wasn't focused on touring these cities instead it revolved around "Is there any possibility of arranging a meeting for me with Chinese police officers?"

Mike had long cherished a dream of connecting with his counterparts on the other side of the Pacific.

Having worked in tourism for decades, I'd encountered many special requests, but Mike's dream still arouses my interest.

He had served as a police officer in Chicago's South Side for twenty-three years. Tucked away in his desk drawer was a replica of a Chinese police badge, a gift from an elderly Chinese immigrant after he handled a case in Chinatown during his younger years. His email read, "Every time I see this badge, I wonder if my colleagues on the other side of the world are also experiencing the same struggles and dedication."

He might not have another chance to visit China, this was a rare opportunity. Luckily, I knew some police officers in Beijing. I decided to help him realize his dream. A special meeting was about to begin.

Chicago Meets Beijing: US Police Officer Meets Chinese Police Officer

"Robert, am I really going to meet Chinese police officers tomorrow?" Mike, who had already arrived and checked into his Beijing hotel, messaged me. I gave him a firm confirmation.

The next day dawned early, and Robert was already awake, styling his hair, preparing for his meeting with the Chinese police.

As the glass door of the police station slid open, Mike instinctively straightened his posture. He had specifically changed into his police uniform shirt brought from the United States for today, the badge pinned to his left breast pocket gleaming in the sunlight. The moment Chinese police officer Mr. Zhang stepped forward to shake his hand, Mike's hand trembled slightly. This tough guy, who remained unflappable when facing criminals on the streets of Chicago, was visibly excited.

The meeting room was filled with the fragrance of jasmine tea. Mr. Zhang and Mike exchanged glances at each other's uniforms and began to converse. When Mike saw the Chinese police officer's extendable baton, he couldn't help but gesture to indicate the length of a Chicago police baton. Mr. Zhang nodded understandingly and turned to retrieve a set of equipment from a cabinet for Mike to experience firsthand.

Sunlight slanted onto the police caps in the center of the conference table. Mike and Mr. Zhang enthusiastically discussed the differences in police work between the two countries, with the tour guide smilingly translating on the side.

The most interesting moment came unexpectedly.

After a few rounds of tea, Mr. Zhang suddenly got up and left, returning with a brand-new police cap in his hands. Mike's eyes lit up instantly. He solemnly removed his own Chicago police cap, which he had worn for a long time, and the two of them exchanged hats. The moment the two police caps met in the center of the conference table, a camera shutter clicked, and the flash illuminated two equally resolute and warm smiling faces.

Leaving the police station, Mike carefully placed the Chinese police cap in the innermost compartment of his backpack. "This is a precious souvenir," Mike WhatsApped me. He sent me several photos of the special police cap. I knew that this meeting had exceeded his expectations.

Mr. Zhang had discussed daily case handling with him and had even specifically invited several police officers who had participated in international peacekeeping missions to share their experiences in cross-border case handling with Mike.

This wasn't just a simple tourist experience rather it was a rare and invaluable professional exchange opportunity.

Throughout the rest of the trip, this Chinese police cap became Mike's most treasured piece of luggage.

On the city walls of Xi'an, he wore it while taking photos with local patrol officers. At the Chengdu Panda Base, he carefully kept the panda badge alongside his police cap. On the Li River cruise in Guilin, his police cap hung on his bag, and when tourists from other countries curiously asked him about it, he recounted the story of that day in Beijing.

Before boarding his return flight in Shanghai, Mike packed his backpack one last time. The Chinese police cap was carefully wrapped in a dust bag and placed in the safest spot in his suitcase.

Mike flipped through the photos on his phone, lingering for a long time on the group photo taken at the police station. "You know, Robert," he suddenly messaged me, "when Mr. Zhang and I were sharing our experiences in police work that day, I suddenly understood that no matter what shape the police badge is, we care about the same things. That feeling is amazing."

I was so happy to see him achieve his Dream China Travel.