Every morning at 7 am, Wu Dan, the captain of the women's team of the traffic management brigade of the Jishou public security bureau in Xiangxi Tujia and Yao autonomous prefecture in Central China's Hunan province, along with her teammates, arrives on time in front of the No 8 Elementary School. They take care to escort the young students safely across the crosswalk.

Over the past eight years, they have braved all weather conditions and handled over 100 emergencies, becoming the "most beloved traffic police aunties" in the hearts of the children.

Officers guide students across the road. [Photo/WeChat account: xxjtzc]

This warm guardianship is a daily occurrence at the entrances of 129 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens throughout Jishou city, as part of the city's safe campus initiative established in May 2020.

The initiative empowers schools to report problems, while relevant authorities in education, public security, traffic police, urban management, market regulation, culture and tourism and communities must act with urgency to address them and enhance the overall safety and well-being of students. It allows schools to evaluate departmental responses, and the results of that evaluation carry weight in city-level safety assessments.

The mechanism categorizes needs into daily safety issues, periodic issues like food safety and fire hazards, and urgent situations. For instance, when two schools faced transportation challenges due to their remote locations, the city took steps to establish direct bus routes, resulting in much better student commutes.

Officers on duty inspect helmets worn by students. [Photo/WeChat account: xxjtzc]

Over the past five years, this approach has resolved more than 200 safety issues, maintaining a record of zero major incidents. The collaborative effort has significantly improved the safety index around schools, making Jishou a model for community-driven safety initiatives.