Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday praised the country's police force for outstanding achievements in maintaining security and social order.
The PM was speaking at a ceremony to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Public Security, which is also the 65th anniversary of the August Revolution.
Dung said police had ceaselessly strengthened their solid political spirit and loyalty to the Party, State and the people and deserved to be considered trustworthy by the State and Party.
This is why their considerable contributions and sacrifices to the revolution and reconstruction was valued.
He also asked the force to solidify its political spirit and awareness in defending security and maintaining social order.
Minister of Public Security Le Hong Anh said the police force would continue to fulfil its role in defending security and maintaining social order.
At the meeting with foreign public security delegations visiting Viet Nam for the 65th anniversary of the People's Public Security Force, Dung said international co-operation had contributed considerably to the improvement of Viet Nam's public security force.
He said that fighting transnational and hi-tech criminals, terrorists, drug smugglers and human traffickers had been effective.
Dung said that ASEAN and its partners had recently discussed security issues and agreed that peace and stability was the goal of every country
He suggested that a mechanism on information exchanges be set up so that co-operation issues could be tackled effectively.
Meanwhile, in HCM City, senior officials said the nation's commercial hub has enjoyed a significant reduction in crime as well as traffic mishaps over the last five years thanks to outstanding work by young police officers.
The praise came at an event held by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the city's Department of Public Security to honour 65 young police officers for their achievements in maintaining public order.
The event celebrated the 65th anniversary of the country's Public Security force (August 19th).
At a ceremony held at the HCM City Youth Cultural House, the brave officers who set an example in fighting crime shared with the audience their experiences as well as the dangers they faced every day in maintaining peace.
Among the 65 young officer awardees aged 24 to 30, 25 were from the HCM City Fire Department and 40 others from the HCM City Department of Public Security.
The Deputy Secretary of the city Party Committee, Huynh Thi Nhan, and the head of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union's HCM City chapter, Nguyen Van Hieu, chaired the event and awarded merit certificates to the officers.
It also sought to increase awareness among the youth of their important role in maintaining public security, they added.
According to the city's Department of Public Security, criminal offences had reduced annually by 9.5 to 15 per cent between 1990 and 2009. More than 140,000 criminal cases and 20,000 economic scams were exposed during this period.
Over the past five years (2005 – 2009), the number of traffic accidents reduced by 42 per cent, while there was a 3 per cent reduction in fatalities and a 68 percent reduction in the traffic accident injuries, the department reported. — VNS
The report also noted that since 2000, police officers at the ward level have persuaded more than 77,000 people to give up crime and become law-abiding citizens.
Bui Ta Hoang Vu, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in HCM City, said the sacrifices made by police officers had boosted the image and profile of young police personnel