Changhua County police adopt joint night duty to address staff shortage

Facing a shortage of 34 officers out of an authorized 255, the Fangyuan Police Division in Changhua County announced that three rural stations – Luo‑shang, West‑port and Yong‑an – will suspend night‑shift patrols from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. starting 1 August. The stations will instead operate a "joint service" arrangement with neighbouring sub‑stations, pooling limited personnel to maintain 24‑hour coverage while improving officer safety.

Division chief Huang Yi‑hang stressed that the move does not entail closing any stations; rather it seeks to “integrate limited police resources, boost patrol density and ensure service remains uninterrupted.” Residents can still call 110 at any time, and emergency calls during the night will be routed to the main stations for rapid response. The plan follows four months of planning and consultations with local leaders and other police units.

The joint‑duty model also includes plans to install additional surveillance cameras in remote villages to further strengthen public safety in the sparsely populated areas of Changhua.