March: We Are The Policemen (authored by Professor, People's Artist Trọng Bằng) Colors: Yellow Red Green
The Vietnam People's Public Security (Vietnamese: Công an Nhân dân Việt Nam), alternatively the People's Public Security Forces (PPS; Vietnamese: Lực lượng Công an Nhân dân - CAND), also recognized as the Vietnamese Police or by its Vietnamese short name Công an (lit.'the Public Security/Police'), is the national police and the main domestic security force of Vietnam. Being a component of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces alongside the Military and the Militia, PPS is placed under political leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (via the Public Security Central Party Committee - Đảng ủy Công an Trung ương as the political head) and the executive administration of the Ministry of Public Security (Government of Vietnam).
The PPS' powers are regulated under No. 73/2014/QH13, which was passed on 27 November 2014.[1]
Functions and branches
The People's Public Security of Vietnam has two branches: the Vietnam People's Security and the Vietnam People's Police (including Civil Defense forces).
The Vietnam People's Security works to prevent, investigate, and defeat potential actions from enemies of the Vietnamese nation that could endanger national security. They engage in espionage, and join forces with other uniformed bodies as established by law in internal political security, economic security, ideological and cultural security, network security and informational security. They manage entrance and exit visas, border security crossing and checkpoints, and immigration stations in airports, as well as in securing foreigners and Vietnamese expats in their visits to the country. They work to defend the secrecy of the Government of the Republic against external and internal threats, and help to build personal security in every aspect of life, at every area in the country. In keeping with the law, they perform several other duties, missions and responsibilities.
The Vietnam People's Police works to prevent, investigate, and solve issues relating to environmental, political, traffic, functional, and corruption-related criminal activities in keeping with the laws of the Socialist Republic. They also work with the general public in preventing participation in criminal actions, and perform responsibilities and duties pertaining to identification security, public security, transport security, road and highway safety, firefighting, civil defense, disaster preparedness and response, the Mobile Police Command, and many other duties and missions in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
These two forces are trained mainly at two institutions, the People's Police Academy of Vietnam and the People's Security Academy of Vietnam.
Tasks and powers of the People's Public Security Forces
To collect information, analyze, evaluate and predict situation and propose the Party and the State to promulgate and direct the implementation of guidelines, policies, laws and strategies on protection of national security and maintenance of social order and safety. To propose the combination of requirements of the strategies on protection of national security and maintenance of social order and safety with those strategies and policies on socio-economic construction and development, national defense and the State's external relations.
To protect the freedom rights, democracy, life and property of the people; to protect high-ranking leading officials of the Party and the State and foreign guests; to safeguard important events, targets and key projects of national security, foreign representative offices, representatives of Vietnam-based international organizations, individuals holding or closely related to state secrets.
To receive and process reports and denouncements on crimes, initiate criminal lawsuits and investigate crimes, and perform other judicial tasks according to the provisions of law.
To sanction administrative violations and apply other administrative handling measures as provided for by law.
To guide, inspect and examine agencies, organizations and citizens in performing the task of protecting national security and maintaining social order and safety; to conduct the law propagation, dissemination and education and build up "the whole population protects the Fatherland's security" movement.
To apply masses mobilization, legal, diplomatic, economic, scientific-technical, professional and armed measures to protect national security and maintain social order and safety.
To use weapons, supporting tools and necessary technical and professional means in attacking crimes and making self-defense according to the provisions of law.
In case of necessity, to issue decisions on or propose the suspension or termination of operations of agencies, organizations or individuals which are detrimental to national security, social order and safety; to requisition means of transport, communication equipments and other technical means of agencies, organizations, individuals and operators or users of such means according to the provisions of law.
To request agencies, organizations or individuals to coordinate in activities and supply information related to national security, social order and safety.
To closely coordinate with the People's Army, Self-Defense and Militia Forces and state agencies in protecting national security, maintaining social order and safety, and defending the national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
To research and apply modern scientific and technological achievements in protecting national security and maintaining social order and safety.
To build up the forces of political, ideological, organizational and professional cleanliness and strength.
To enter into international cooperation on protection of national security and social order and safety.[2]
The organisational system of the People's Public Security Forces
The organisational system of the People's Public Security Forces is composed of:
