BEIJING - The official newspaper of southwest China's Chongqing municipality Thursday frontpaged a long report to praise a marked rise in police force competence since a big anti-crime campaign was launched three years ago.

The "Peaceful Chongqing" campaign, launched in 2009, decisively prioritized fights against local Mafia-style gangs in order to build a city of peace, the Chongqing Daily reported.

Back then, Chongqing was plagued with a cocktail of crimes of guns, drugs, prostitution, and gambling, the paper said, adding that about 6,200 crime fugitives were on the run while 700,000 cases languished in the police offices since Chongqing was established as a municipality in 1997.

The ensuing anti-crime campaign, however, has busted more than 500 gangs and arrested approximately 5,700 people, about 35 percent of whom had stood trials so far, the paper said. The campaign also led to the downfall of 77 officials who served as gangs' protectors including a veteran lawman who held long time senior positions in both the city's police and judicial departments.

The newspaper reported the progress of police work in the past few years, indicated by the unanimous declines in traffic accidents, street crimes, deadly fires, and work safety accidents.

By the end of 2011, nearly 97 percent of Chongqing residents said they "had a sense of safety" and "no longer feared going out, " the paper said, quoting a senior Chinese leader in charge of law enforcement as praising that the campaign has brought fortunes for the city's 32 million residents.

It also quoted several Chongqing residents elaborating their personal stories and praises on the improving stability and social harmony.

"Chongqing is now considered safest city in China. A peaceful Chongqing is a happy home for everyone," the report concluded.