With the largest and highest police jurisdiction, which takes 13 days to patrol on foot, the police corps of the Yushan National Park faces the most difficult environment of any of Taiwan’s police divisions. For patrolling in mountainous areas, patrolmen must be equipped with outdoor survival skills, and the strength and determination of Rambo.
The 100,000 hectare park is almost the size of Changhua County and 10 times bigger than Hsinchu City, which means the 39 patrolmen have a broad beat to cover. Since the main peak is 3,952m high, they could claim to be the police with the “highest status” in Taiwan. But for them, mountain patrolling on foot is perhaps the most challenging task. It takes them from two to 13 days to patrol the 190km diameter of the park, which is almost the distance between Taipei and Taichung.
“If you are not interested in or capable of doing this, you will definitely apply for a transfer within half a year,” said Chou Yen-hui, the deputy captain of the corps. Most of the patrolmen are senior officers who have been there for over 10 years. Those who are unable to adapt to the mountain areas struggle to pass the practical training, and end up being assigned elsewhere.
“I don’t even remember what a decent meal is like,” said Chou, expressing his deepest feelings about mountain patrolling on foot, saying that such a task is like waging war single-handedly, as patrolmen are responsible for their own food and equipment. Apart from climbing steep hills, they are threatened by beasts and bugs. When there is no shack to stay in, they just put up a canvas tent and sleep in that. When they are short of drinking water, they collect dew from plants or pools.
To find the water essential to survival, the patrolmen often collect water from sources that are full of branches, leaves, or even animal excrement. “The brown-color water may still contain leeches or parasites. Before drinking it, we purify it a little and boil it, or add instant coffee or ginger powder,” said Chou. “Our patrolmen always come back with all kinds of wounds.”
Patrolman Wu Chi-feng has already served on the corps for 16 years. He just completed an eight-day task from an ancient trail and was bitten by leeches all over his body. But he is used to this, saying that his family supports his decision to work at the corps. “But communication is poor in the mountains. I disappear whenever I enter the mountains. I cannot contact them until I return to the corps, which worries them a lot.”
The patrolmen are responsible for forest protection, and they are missed by their families. Chou points out that they are not afraid of difficulties, but the sheer size of the park means they need extra men if they are to give proper protection to all the people, flora and fauna within their jurisdiction.
(LIBERTY TIMES, TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG)
警勤轄區最廣、海拔最高，步行巡邏一次最長要十三天，玉山國家公園警察隊服勤環境可說是警界的台灣之最，深山巡邏更須擁有野外求生技能，員警們若沒有藍波般的毅力與耐力，恐怕難以承受！
玉山國家公園面積達十萬公頃，將近一個彰化縣，是新竹市十倍大，僅三十九名隊員服勤，範圍廣闊，且達玉山主峰三千九百五十二公尺，堪稱國內「地位」最高的警察，惟對玉警隊隊員而言，深山步巡則是最具挑戰的任務，每次出勤最短兩天、最長達十三天，距離最長約一百九十公里，幾乎是從台北市到台中市的距離。
「沒有相當實力與興趣，不到半年一定會申請調離！」玉警隊副隊長周燕輝說，隊員大都是十年以上的資深隊員，山區、高地勤務適應不良的隊員往往無法通過實習訓練，只好另覓適當去處。
「三月不知肉味！」副隊長周燕輝道出深山步巡最深感受，步巡勤務視同獨力作戰，隊員必須負責自己所需糧食、裝備，除需穿梭攀爬山崖峭壁之中，還要面對獸、蟲侵擾，有時夜間沒有山屋可棲宿，只能就地搭起簡陋帆布露宿，缺水時則是靠著收集植物露水或水窟積水。
為找水求生，經常取用滿是估枝落葉，甚至動物排泄污染的水源，「咖啡色的水還可能有水蛭、寄生蟲，但為了喝水，只能稍加濾淨煮沸，或摻入即溶咖啡、薑粉飲用。」周燕輝說，「步巡人員一定會帶著大、小傷返回隊部。」
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