Nearly every Beijinger is going international with the forthcoming Olympics - even former stone-faced police officers are learning to greet foreigners with a friendly "hello" and a big smile.

Amid the citywide pre-Olympic English-language-learning craze, nearly every police officer, from new graduates to those close to retirement, is studying foreign languages and refined manners, hoping to polish the capital's image.

A handbook containing useful phrases in seven languages - including English, French, Russian, German, Japanese, Korean and Arabic - has been given to all police and state-approved volunteers who will assist security service forces at next year's Games.

Ma Zhenchuan, the city's police chief, said the educational campaigns will help the force offer "cordial, civilized, professional and high-quality" security at the August sporting extravaganza.

Fluency in 13 languages significantly helped Liu Wenli, a policeman at Beihai Park, a major tourist destination close to the Forbidden City in downtown Beijing, to stand out as a runner for the Athens Olympics torch relay in 2004.

The 40 year old was also one of the most hopeful candidates for the Beijing Games torch relay.

Liu said an embarrassing experience in 1995 initially prompted him to learn English.

"I was assisting security services at the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, and a blonde-haired lady came up to talk with me in English," he said. "I knew she was asking for a favor, but I couldn't understand a word."

From then on, he began to study English. He read novels, listened to English radio programs and struck up conversations with every foreigner he met on the streets.

Shortly after he began to work in Beihai Park in 2002, and realized English was not enough. "Sometimes I met French, Spanish or Russian tourists who needed help but couldn't speak English."

Since then, Liu, who never went to college, has learned 12 other languages, including French, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Finnish.

Earlier this year, Beijing police conducted a month-long survey to find out what the public found most unbearable about the force.

The results weren't encouraging as people complained about cops using phrases such as: "Are you deaf?" to "That's not my business," or "I'll put you behind bars if you continue to make a fuss like this."

The public also voiced discontent over some officers' arrogance and their misuse of police vehicles and sirens.

Based on the survey, the Beijing Public Security Bureau compiled a book of dos and don'ts for officers. Those caught swearing, smoking, chatting or using violence at work would be suspended or fired.