Minister of Public Security To Lam has asked Hanoi police to reduce crime rates by 5% year-on-year.

At a review conference on January 8, General To Lam asked Hanoi police to continue investigating and strictly handling criminal cases, strictly forbid the police from concealing serious offenses.

General To Lam, Vietnamese minister of Public Security speaks at the conference. Photo: Le Dat

The minister warned that the perpetration of organized crimes exposes the incompetence of the police and if the situation lingers on, the local chief of police will be admonished.

Besides, General To Lam called on Hanoi police to focus on immigration management, supervise business conditions compliance and enhance the control of explosives, firearms and knives.

Lam also asked the local police to take measures to ensure traffic safety, curb road accidents and improve the effectiveness of fire prevention and fighting.

The minister praised Hanoi police’s achievements in the past year, saying they have maintained political security and social order and safety in key areas, contributing positively to the capital’s economic development.

Pointing out the shortcomings and limitations of the capital's police force, Lam asked Hanoi public security forces to perform eight tasks. They are asked to focus on reviewing and improving plans to ensure security and safety of important political events taking place in the capital city.

At the conference, Brigadier-General Dao Thanh Hai, Hanoi police’s deputy director, said that the city's police handled 4,800 cases of social order violations in 2019, down 340 cases or 6.6% from a year earlier.

The police force dealt with nearly 556,000 cases of law breaking last year, issues fines worth more than VND165 billion (US$7.095 million), seized more than 18.5 thousand vehicles and nearly 120,000 driver licenses.

Traffic accidents in Hanoi last year decreased in all three criteria (down 6.7% of cases, 6.6% of deaths and 7.5% of injuries).

Hanoi police have identified the main tasks in 2020 including ensuring absolutely safety for the Party congresses at all levels, the ASEAN Summit, among others, Hai stressed.