Several serious street crimes have occurred in HCM City recently. Two street “knights” were killed and three were seriously wounded in two separate incidents. To curb mounting violence, should the city establish the 141 Task Force like the one in Hanoi?

HCM City should have established the 141 police task force unit just like that in Hanoi many years ago. The Hanoi 141 task force was established at the decision of the director of the Hanoi Police Department.

Members of Hanoi’s 141 task force unit include members of the traffic police, criminal police, military police and other special forces. Their job is to intervene in and solve hot problems that the traffic and law and order police forces are facing.

According to the Ministry of Public Security and the Hanoi Police, the141 task force has been proven successful in settling many cases against law enforcement officers while they were on duty. At the same time, the 141 task force has also busted many criminal operations in the city.

Beside the 141 task force, Hanoi also has its Mobile Police Regiment which is on duty daily from 21.00pm to 4am the next morning. The Hanoi Mobile Police Regiment has captured many criminals who were on their way to commit crimes.

What has HCM City been doing to maintain law and order?

In 2013, the situation in HCM City was rather complicated. The Ministry of Public Security decided to beef up the city’s Mobile Police Force. With good co-ordination from various forces, law and order in the city has been well maintained.

The Public Security Minister recently asked the Director of the HCM City Police Department to review and make a comprehensive assessment of the current criminal situation in the city.

In addition, the minister ordered the city’s Mobile Police to co-ordinate with other forces to conduct regular patrols in the city to keep law and order.

He also asked the HCM City Police to review the activities of various models of law enforcement, including volunteer groups, and draw lessons from their operations, as well as to work closely with the City Municipality to establish self management groups in communities.

I should say the traffic police, criminal police, anti-crime volunteer groups and others have been operating effectively in HCM City.

Don’t you think that given the rising violence, it’s time for the city to establish the 141 task force unit?

Personally, yes I do. HCM City should study the 141 model and then apply it in a way that suits the city. But how the model will be established to make it suitable to the city’s situation is a question we have to consider carefully. I can’t negate that the model is effective, but we should make it fit to our city’s circumstances.

Two anti-crime volunteers (locals call them knights) in the city were recently murdered. Do you think that the city should continue to let this model operate?

I should say the “knight” model was the fruit of the campaign that all people participate in the course of defending the justice. The issue here is how to organise the group in a better way, not as spontaneous as it is at present. They need support from other organisations in their activities.

How should the “knights” continue their operations and be able to protect themselves from danger, while keeping in line with the law?

I have already discussed this issue with the city’s authorities. In the discussion, I raised the issue of the need for strong co-ordination between the “knights” and the other official forces in the city, including the criminal police, the traffic police and the local police. I’m confident that with strong co-ordination between these forces, the “knights” will not be vulnerable in their fight against social vices in the society. — VNS