Zhejiang police will recruit 15 snipers and 13 explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) experts for the province's nine regimental police detachments in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Shaoxing and other cities.

The recruitment period begins on Wednesday and ends on Feb 25.

Zhejiang police had recruitment drives for regimental police in 2005, 2006 and 2012, but this is the first time the provincial police have recruited snipers and EOD officers from the public, who are in short supply and take a long time to train, according to newspaper Metro Express.

Positions in the police force often attract many applicants, but because of the strict requirements, the past three recruitment drives for regimental police have only recruited some 300 officers, who account for 10 percent of the province’s total swat team.

Most of the recruits are retired soldiers, the newspaper reported.