At the press briefing, Major General Pham Quang Tuyen, deputy chief of the Department of Personnel Organisation at the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS), stated that the restructuring aims to reduce intermediaries and make the system more streamlined, efficient, and effective.

Accordingly, the local police structure will be streamlined from three to two levels: provincial-level and commune-level police. As a result, 694 district-level police units and nearly 6,000 subordinate teams will be dissolved.

The MoPS earlier mandated that the district-level police force be abolished by February 2025 to ensure the smooth operation of the new system from March 1. The goal is to strengthen the police force at the commune level, which directly interacts with citizens and addresses local security concerns, thereby improving public security management at the grassroots level.

The implementation of this new organizational model presents challenges and responsibilities for leaders, commanders, and individual officers. Therefore, police leaders at all levels are required to act swiftly and decisively to ensure the new structure is fully operational by March 1.

In addition to streamlining its organizational structure, the MoPS will take on five new state management responsibilities regarding cybersecurity oversight from the former Ministry of Information and Communications; aviation security from the former Ministry of Transport; drug rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation management from the former Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs; driving tests and issuance of driving licenses from the former Ministry of Transport; and judicial record management and issuance of judicial record certificates from the Ministry of Justice.

The MoPS will take over the role of representing state capital ownership at MobiFone Telecommunications Corporation from the Committee for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises.

To ensure that criminal investigation, detention, and enforcement of criminal judgments remain unaffected, the MoPS has coordinated with the Supreme People’s Procuracy and the Supreme People’s Court to issue an inter-agency circular addressing legal issues comprehensively.

Major General Hoang Anh Tuyen, spokesperson for the MoPS, affirmed that the police have conducted a comprehensive review of the legal framework and have planned amendments and additions to ensure consistency, prevent legal loopholes, and facilitate a smooth transition.

Driving licence issuance transfers to Ministry of Public Security

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) will take over the responsibility for driving test assessments and the issuance of new and renewed driving licences from the Ministry of Transport (MoT) starting February 19, authorities announced.