In the latest move to shake up the police force, China's Public Security Ministry on Friday issued a circular describing situations that will lead to the sacking of district police heads.

    China's police authority carried out a major manpower re-deployment last year, transferring a large number of administrative staff to district police stations to walk the beat. The re-shuffle meant that 80 percent of China's 500,000-strong police force, including 8,500 criminal police, are now based in local offices, police officials said.

    "We are making progress at the local level, but there are also lots of problems," said Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang at a recent ministry meeting.

    According to the new rules, district police heads face dismissal if they turn a blind eye to or protect local gangs, if they torture detainees, fire weapons abusively, or take other inappropriate actions that lead to people's deaths.

    District police officers are also asked to report to their superiors purchases of cars and houses as well as their relatives' business involvements, such as running entertainment venues.

    China's economic boom has helped many people become better off, but at the same time has created a widening wealth gap that has provoked a growing number of mass incidents. Violent confrontations are on the rise.

    The Ministry of Public Security previously claimed that 17,900 incidents involving mass participation were handled nationwide in the first nine months of 2006, down 22.1 percent on a year earlier.

    Experts said the prevention and proper handling of mass incidents has become a major test of the Communist Party's ability to govern.