The A80 task training blocks of the People's Public Security are ready for the great festival of the industry and the nation. (Source: VNA)

Formed in the revolutionary movement of 1945

The success of the August Revolution in 1945 gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and at the same time laid the foundation for the birth of the Vietnam People's Public Security force.

Under the leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh , from the predecessor revolutionary protection organizations such as "reconnaissance," "red self-defense," "volunteer police," "honorable Viet Minh," the police force was formed with the first three organizations in the three regions: the Department of Integrity in the North, the Department of Reconnaissance in the Central region, and the National Self-Defense Force in the South.

Although they have different names, they all share the same sacred mission: to suppress counter-revolutionary forces, maintain security and order, protect the Party, protect the young revolutionary government, and the lives and property of the people.

Right at the dawn of the new government, the country's situation was "hanging by a thread" with countless difficulties and challenges. Although the People's Public Security Force was still young, it promptly achieved many feats, writing the first pages of traditional golden history.

Typically, in July 1946, the police discovered a counter-revolutionary organization at 7 On Nhu Hau Street (now Nguyen Gia Thieu, Hanoi), seized documents and weapons, and crushed the plot of riots to overthrow the government by reactionary forces. On Nhu Hau's feat has become a symbol of the intelligence and determination of the People's Police in protecting the young revolutionary government.

After the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was founded, the French colonialists returned to invade, and the entire nation entered the resistance war against the French colonialists (1946-1954). The police force both built and consolidated its organization and fought side by side with the army and people in the resistance war.

President Ho Chi Minh visits the People's Armed Police unit protecting the capital Hanoi , February 14, 1961. (Photo: VNA)

Right from the beginning, the People's Public Security quickly deployed all aspects of work to maintain the free zone and absolutely protect the safety of the Party and State's headquarters in the Viet Bac resistance base.

Police soldiers day and night protected the safety of the leader, protected the resistance base and important military campaigns, contributing significantly to the victory of the historic Dien Bien Phu Campaign, ending the 9-year resistance war against the French.

Grown through two wars of national defense

Entering the resistance war against the US to save the country (1954-1975), the People's Public Security force continued to build and develop its forces while directly fighting in both the North and the South.

In the socialist North, the Public Security promoted the mass movement to protect security, the "security and anti-espionage" movement, and dismantled the entire spy network planted by the French colonialists and American intelligence. Through clever counter-intelligence plans, we lured, captured, and neutralized dozens of spy and commando groups sent by the CIA and the Saigon government to the North, smashing the enemy's dangerous plan called "fighting communism in the heart of communism."

Armed police officers on an island (Quang Ninh) help people repair their houses to protect them from storms (1969). (Photo: Minh Truong/VNA)

During the 8 years that the US military escalated its attacks on the North, the Northern police always maintained a high level of vigilance, coordinated with the army and other forces to steadfastly protect state assets and people's lives, ensure smooth transportation to support the Southern battlefield, and maintain security and order in the rear in all situations.

In the Southern battlefield, under the leadership of the Party, the Southern Security Force (the People's Public Security within the National Liberation Front) continuously grew stronger amid hardships, secretly sticking to the people and the land, mobilizing the masses to rise up to destroy evil, break shackles, and eliminate traitors.

The security soldiers cleverly foiled many insidious intelligence and counterintelligence plans of the US and the Saigon government such as the "Phoenix" plan, "Mass Intelligence," the "Chieu Hoi" campaign, "Thien Nga," "Hai Yen."... Many cases of espionage and enemy informants were promptly discovered by the police, protecting the safety of revolutionary bases.

The combat team of the Quang Binh People's Armed Police Station on the way to hunt down the enemy (August 1969). (Photo: Tri Thanh/VNA)

In such difficult and fierce conditions, our security soldiers were extremely intelligent and brave, a typical example being Colonel Hero of the People's Armed Forces To Quyen when he was Deputy Head of the Security Department of Tay Ninh province, Central Bureau base area.

It can be affirmed that on every silent front, the People's Public Security force has made worthy contributions to the cause of national liberation, bringing our country into the era of independence, unification, and socialism.

After the country's reunification, the People's Public Security force quickly unified throughout the country, took over newly liberated areas and faced numerous post-war difficulties.

Upholding the revolutionary tradition, the People's Public Security urgently launched raids on the remnants of the enemy, destroying hundreds of reactionary groups and organizations that were still hiding. At the same time, the public security sector proactively deployed large-scale counter-intelligence campaigns to defeat the plots of hostile forces colluding internally and externally to sabotage the revolutionary government.

In particular, from 1981 to 1984, the police force closely coordinated with the army to successfully implement "Project CM12," completely destroying the exiled reactionary organization led by Le Quoc Tuy and Mai Van Hanh, foiling the plot of collusion between foreign spies and domestic reactionary remnants to cause riots to overthrow the government.

At the same time, the police and the people of the whole country participated in defeating the war of aggression in the southwestern border, firmly protecting the northern border of the Fatherland, and at the same time fulfilling the noble international duty of helping the Lao and Cambodian revolutionaries escape the disaster of genocide. These feats of arms continue to highlight the heroic tradition of the Vietnam People's Police in the new historical period.

Maintaining national security and social order and safety in the renovation period

Entering the period of innovation and integration (from 1986 to present), the country has increasingly developed but also posed many new challenges regarding security and order.

Hostile forces are promoting the strategy of "peaceful evolution," promoting internal "self-evolution" and "self-transformation"; organized crime, economic crime, corruption, drugs, high-tech crime, and transnational crime are increasing their activities with sophisticated tricks in the context of open integration.

In that situation, the People's Public Security force always proactively grasps the situation, avoids being passive or surprised; and performs well the strategic advisory role for the Party and State in planning policies and strategies on protecting national security and maintaining social order and safety.

The police have advised on the promulgation and effective implementation of many important resolutions and strategies such as Resolution 28-NQ/TW on the Strategy for National Defense in the new situation, thereby protecting national security and interests from early on and from afar.

Thanks to proactive prevention and early detection, the police force has promptly fought and defeated many sabotage plots of hostile and reactionary forces, prevented the formation of opposition political organizations domestically, and maintained political stability and a peaceful environment for national development.

Along with the task of protecting national security, the People's Public Security has continuously launched high-profile attacks, suppressed crimes, and maintained social order and discipline in peacetime.

During the 40 years of renovation, under the direction of the Ministry of Public Security, the entire force has synchronously and resolutely implemented measures to prevent crime and social evils nationwide. Notably, it has fought and destroyed many dangerous organized crime gangs and "mafias", typically the project to eliminate the criminal organization Nam Cam in 2002, cutting off the underground "mafia" network, including the "umbrellas" of protection, thereby restoring order and security in major cities.

Police have also continuously broken up transnational drug trafficking rings, seizing hundreds of heroin and synthetic drug bricks and arresting many notorious drug lords.

Cao Bang Provincial Police coordinated with border guards to arrest a group of foreigners who illegally entered and exited the country and transported and stored a large quantity of military weapons across the border. (Photo: VNA)

Many major economic and corruption cases have been focused on investigation and strictly handled, typically major cases in banking and finance (Vinashin, Vinalines...), thereby contributing significantly to the work of cleaning up the apparatus and building a healthy business environment.

Faced with the explosion of the Internet and digital technology, the police force quickly established specialized units to combat high-tech crimes. Many cases of organizing online gambling and fraud worth thousands of billions of VND were exposed and handled (such as the online gambling ring led by Phan Sao Nam in 2018), showing the determination of the police force in keeping up with and controlling non-traditional crimes.

At the same time, state management of social order and safety has also been strengthened; a series of high-profile plans to ensure traffic order and safety, urban order, fire prevention, and rescue have been implemented, contributing to building an orderly, disciplined, safe, and healthy society.

It can be said that, in 80 years of accompanying the nation, in any circumstances, the People's Public Security force has always been absolutely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland and the people, clearly demonstrating the oath "As long as the Party exists, we exist" as the highest reason for living of a public security soldier.

Senior Lieutenant Pham Van Cuong - Chief of Din Chin Commune Police (Lao Cai) propagates the Party's guidelines and State laws to ethnic minorities in the area. (Photo: Minh Duc/VNA)

Many generations of police officers and soldiers have silently sacrificed their personal interests, ready to "forget themselves for the country, serve the people" as Uncle Ho taught, contributing to writing the heroic epic "stay awake so the people can sleep, stand guard so the people can have fun" throughout the war and peacetime. The great dedication and sacrifice of the People's Police force has brought a peaceful and happy life to the people, making an important contribution to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the cause of building and defending the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Building a clean, strong, disciplined, elite force

Since its early days, our Party and State have paid special attention to building a truly clean and strong People's Public Security force.

Through the Party Congresses, the guiding viewpoint on building the armed forces in general and the People's Public Security in particular has increasingly developed and improved. The 6th National Party Congress (1986) clearly stated: "The People's Public Security must be built to be truly clean, strong, disciplined and modern, absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the people."

At the 7th Congress (1991), the Party continued to emphasize: "Building a clean and strong People's Public Security force, worthy of being the shock armed force on the front line of protecting security and order."

Entering the period of industrialization and modernization, the 8th (1996) and 9th (2001) Congresses continued to perfect the direction of building the Public Security force in the new situation.

In particular, the 2011 supplemented development platform affirms: "Building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, gradually modernized People's Public Security force that is absolutely loyal to the Fatherland, the Party, the State and the people."

The 12th Party Congress (2016) set the goal of "Building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and gradually modern People's Public Security force."

Consistently inheriting over the periods, the 13th National Congress of the Party (2021) has determined a specific roadmap: "Building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite People's Army and People's Public Security, gradually modernizing, with a number of military branches, services, and forces advancing straight to modernization.

By 2025, basically build a strong, compact and elite police force, creating a solid foundation; strive by 2030 to build a revolutionary, disciplined, elite and modern People's Police force; strong in politics, ideology, ethics, organization and personnel." That spirit is also institutionalized in the 2013 Constitution (Article 67) and legal documents, clearly defining the task of building a People's Police force as the core in protecting national security, ensuring social order and safety, and fighting and preventing crime.

Based on the Party's orientation, the Ministry of Public Security has deployed many projects and plans to realize the goal of building a "clean, strong, disciplined, elite, and gradually modernized" force.

In particular, for the first time, the 13th Politburo issued Resolution No. 12-NQ/TW dated March 16, 2022 on "Promoting the building of a truly clean, strong, disciplined, elite, and modern People's Public Security force to meet the requirements of tasks in the new situation."

Parade of the Drug Crime Investigation Police. (Photo: Pham Kien/VNA)

Resolution 12-NQ/TW demonstrates the Party's deep concern for the cause of protecting security and order in the new period, and at the same time reflects the objective requirement to build a strong People's Public Security force in all aspects to meet the task of protecting the Fatherland in the context of many emerging risks and challenges.

Immediately after its promulgation, the resolution was widely disseminated by the Central Party Committee of the Public Security and the Ministry of Public Security throughout the entire force. With high political determination, the entire public security sector has been proposing breakthrough solutions to materialize the resolution - from Party building, building the staff to modernizing equipment, improving working methods - striving to complete the goal of successfully building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and modern People's Public Security force by 2030 as desired by our Party.

In recent years, the Ministry of Public Security has innovated and reorganized its apparatus to be streamlined, effective and efficient. The reorganization of the force according to the 3-level Public Security model (eliminating the intermediate level of the General Department and merging a number of units) has been implemented synchronously.

The guiding spirit is to build an apparatus of "Ministry of excellence, province of strength, district of comprehensiveness, commune of closeness to the grassroots", meaning the Ministry of Public Security focuses on strategic direction, staff work, and simplification of focal points; Provincial and city police are comprehensively strengthened in terms of force and means; District and commune police are directly close to the people, closely following the grassroots to effectively resolve security and order issues early and from the root.

A breakthrough reform is to bring regular police to assume the position of commune police in 100% of communes and wards nationwide. This policy helps to strengthen the elite force to the grassroots, the place closest to the people, thereby improving the effectiveness of ensuring security and order right from residential areas.

Thanks to its continuous efforts, the People's Public Security force has grown remarkably in all aspects, becoming a core and trustworthy armed force of the Party, State and people in the cause of protecting national security and maintaining social order and safety. In recognition of these great achievements and contributions, the Party and State have awarded the People's Public Security force many noble awards and titles. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its Traditional Day (August 19, 1945 - August 19, 2025), the Public Security force was honored for the fifth time to be awarded the Gold Star Order - the most noble award of the Party and State for heroic collectives.

Digital transformation, improving efficiency in serving people

Entering the era of the 4.0 industrial revolution, the People's Public Security force has identified promoting the application of science and technology and digital transformation as one of the key tasks, both to improve work efficiency and to serve people and businesses better and better.

Within the industry, the Ministry of Public Security aims to complete the complete transition to an electronic working environment by the end of 2025. All police work processes and procedures are being digitized to the maximum, actively applying modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data to professional aspects, ensuring security and safety of information systems. This contributes to improving the quality and efficiency of police work in the new situation, when the volume of data and information processing requirements are increasing.

It is also thanks to the application of high technology that from July 1, 2025, when the whole country switches to a two-level local government, the police force will also cut district-level police, increase regular police in communes to be closer to the people and serve the people more effectively, while the scale of area and population of communes has increased significantly.

The commune police force directly went to households in each hamlet and coastal village to guide people to install electronic identification and integrate health insurance cards into the VNeID application on their phones. (Photo: Xuan Tien/VNA)

In particular, as the core force ensuring national security, the Ministry of Public Security is also a pioneer, playing the role of "locomotive" in national digital transformation. The Ministry has presided over the implementation of many key national information technology projects, most notably the Government's Project 06 on "Developing applications of population data, identification and electronic authentication to serve national digital transformation in the period 2022-2025, with a vision to 2030."

The police force has been advising and vigorously implementing Project 06, in which the core is the National Population Database and the Electronic Identification and Authentication System (VNeID) built and managed by the Ministry of Public Security.

To date, the National Population Database has been completed and interconnected with many ministries, branches and localities; more than 80 million chip-embedded Citizen Identification Cards have been issued to people nationwide, fully integrating electronic identification information.

The Ministry of Public Security has also provided hundreds of high-level online public services on the Ministry of Public Security Public Service Portal and the National Public Service Portal, facilitating people to carry out procedures on residence, issuance of identity papers, vehicle registration, passports, judicial records... quickly and transparently.

According to the roadmap of Project 06, by 2025, we strive to have 100% of administrative procedures in the field of state management of security and order provided online, regardless of administrative boundaries. All common procedures related to people and businesses will be carried out smoothly and seamlessly through the network environment - realizing the goal of building a serving, public, transparent and modern administration.

Along with digital transformation in administrative management, the People's Public Security force also pays special attention to the task of protecting security and order in cyberspace - a "new" and arduous front in the digital age.

The Department of Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention and Control, together with many professional units, has been strengthened in investment, promptly detecting and preventing thousands of cases of law violations in cyberspace. Hostile forces that take advantage of the internet to conduct propaganda and spread bad and toxic information have been monitored and neutralized; many organizations and individuals who spread fake news and fraudulently appropriate property online have been strictly punished.

The National Assembly's promulgation of the 2018 Cyber Security Law and guiding documents has created a solid legal corridor for the police force to synchronously deploy measures to protect national sovereignty in cyberspace, while effectively suppressing high-tech crimes.

It can be seen that, from state management to fighting against crimes in the field of cyber security, the People's Public Security is making efforts to take the lead, making an important contribution to maintaining order and discipline in people's digital lives.

Outstanding achievements in the application of science and technology and digital transformation have improved the efficiency of the police force in serving the people. People today enjoy many benefits provided by the police force: from quick and convenient one-stop issuance of ID cards and passports, to temporary residence registration and residence declaration via the VNeID application on smartphones.

The Ministry of Public Security - the core unit in implementing the Project on developing applications of population data, identification and electronic authentication to serve national digital transformation in the 2022-2025 period, with a vision to 2030 (Project 06). (Photo: Thanh Dat/VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, in his speech at the 9th National Security Congress, praised the police force for "playing a leading role in National Digital Transformation," especially emphasizing that the People's Public Security must continue to "modernize management methods, focusing on digital transformation, breakthroughs in science and technology development; perform public duties with the spirit of 3 rights - correct regulations, on time, in the spirit of serving the people; with a friendly, responsible, professional attitude, close to the people, understanding the people, for the people, taking people's satisfaction as a measure of results."

Instilling that spirit, the entire police force is making efforts to innovate its style and manner of serving the people, building the image of a dedicated, friendly police officer who is truly a "peaceful support" for the people in all circumstances.

International integration, enhancing position and new capacity

In the context of deep international integration, the Vietnam People's Public Security not only ensures domestic security and order but also actively contributes to regional and world peace and security. The Ministry of Public Security has established and expanded cooperative relations with public security agencies of other countries and international organizations such as Interpol, ASEANAPOL... to coordinate in the fight against transnational crimes, terrorism, drugs, and human trafficking.

Many agreements and cooperation agreements on crime prevention with neighboring countries and strategic partners have been signed, creating a legal corridor for the exchange of intelligence information, extradition of criminals, and coordination of international investigations. Thanks to that, our police have dismantled many drug and cross-border smuggling rings, arrested wanted criminals hiding abroad, and supported international friends in important cases.

Along with promoting domestic resources, the police sector pays great attention to mobilizing resources and learning international experiences to enhance the potential to protect national security.

The policy of building a modern, autonomous security industry has been approved by the Politburo (Conclusion No. 158-KL/TW dated May 26, 2025), emphasizing cooperation in developing areas such as cyber security industry, digital technology, automation, artificial intelligence, production of modern technical equipment and means for public security work. The goal is to both meet the requirements of ensuring domestic security and order, and contribute to making Vietnam gradually become a strong country in the security industry in the Asia-Pacific region.

People's Public Security officers depart for a UN peacekeeping mission at the UNMISS Mission (Republic of South Sudan). (Photo: Pham Kien/VNA)

On the security diplomacy front, the police force is increasingly proactive and actively contributing responsibly to the common efforts of the international community. Vietnam has sent police officers to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping force, contributing to international missions for peace and humanity.

At the same time, the police force also participates in supporting friendly countries to overcome the consequences of natural disasters and catastrophes, contributing to solving non-traditional security issues emerging at the regional and global levels. To enhance its position in the international arena, the Ministry of Public Security advocates increasing the number of police officers participating in running for leadership positions at INTERPOL, ASEANAPOL and international organizations on crime prevention.

In fact, in recent years, many Vietnamese police officers have been elected and appointed to agencies of INTERPOL, ASEANAPOL..., thereby enhancing the voice and image of Vietnam in the field of international law enforcement. The effective contributions of the Vietnamese Police to regional peace and security have enhanced the prestige and position of our country in the international arena.

Firmly step with the nation in the new era

Looking back on the 80-year journey of building, fighting and growing, it can be affirmed that each achievement and glorious feat of the People's Public Security force is always associated with milestones in national history.

Under the absolute and direct leadership in all aspects of the Party, the unified management of the State, the close coordination with the People's Army and departments, branches and organizations, especially relying on the support and assistance of the people, the People's Public Security force has continuously grown, worthy of being the core and trustworthy armed force in the cause of protecting the security and order of the Fatherland.

The glorious feats and heroic traditions of the past 80 years are invaluable spiritual assets, adding strength and confidence for today's generations of police officers to continue worthily.

In the new development stage, facing intertwined opportunities and challenges, the task of protecting national sovereignty, security and maintaining social order and safety is placed on the shoulders of the People's Public Security force with a heavy but also extremely glorious responsibility. The entire force is determined to promote its tradition to the fullest extent, constantly strive, innovate, create, and build an increasingly disciplined, elite, modern force, close to the people, serving the people.

As Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized, the People's Public Security must "maintain political security, social order and safety, preserve a peaceful and stable environment for national development," closely linking security tasks with socio-economic development, taking the peace, prosperity and happiness of the people as the highest goal to strive for.

People's police officers are always ready to help whenever people need it. (Photo: Hoang Hieu/VNA)

The police force will also continue to focus on building a people's security posture associated with a solid people's hearts posture, widely launching the movement "All people protect national security" to mobilize the combined strength of the entire political system and all people in the cause of protecting security and order.

With the foundation of 80 years of glorious heroic tradition, with new spirit, new motivation and the spirit of "As long as the Party exists, we exist", "Honor is the most sacred and noble thing", the People's Public Security force firmly believes that together with the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army, we will enter a new era of development - the era of strong growth of the Vietnamese nation.

The People's Police vowed to successfully fulfill all the tasks that the Party, the State and the people trusted, deserved to be the "sword" to protect the Party, protect the people, contribute to the goal of making Vietnam a stable and prosperous country by 2030, pioneered the testing of new technologies and models of the world, and by 2045, it became a developed country and high income.

Forever engraved the words of President Ho Chi Minh taught "Our police is the People's Police, for the people to serve and rely on the people to work," every police soldier today is and will continue to raise the spirit "because the country forgets the body, because the people serve," ready "for the people to sleep well, guard the people to play," contribute to maintaining the posture of the people in Vietnam, to build the country in Vietnam, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country, to develop the country in the country, to develop the country in Vietnam in the year New era./.

The Van Hai Commune Police, Border Guards and local security forces coordinated to patrol to ensure security, order and social safety in the Quynh Tho coastal area, Nghe An. (Photo: VNA)

[1] The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2013), Article 67.

[2] Resolution 28-NQ/TW of the Central Executive Committee (2013) on the national defense strategy in the new situation.

[3] Resolution 12-NQ/TW of the Politburo (March 16, 2022) on building the People's Public Security Forces is really clean, strong, regular, elite and modern.

[4] Decision 06/QD-TTg (January 6, 2022) of the Prime Minister approving Project 06 on population data, identification and electronic authentication.

[5] Law on Cyber Security (2018) and written guidance.

[6] Conclusion 158-KL/TW (May 26, 2025) of the Politburo on security industry development.

[7] The Ministry of Public Security, Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy, Vietnam Communist Party's Electronic Newspaper, VNA, speech of the Party and State leaders at the 80th anniversary of the traditional day of the Vietnam People's Police.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https: //www.vietnamplus.vn/80-nam-cong-an-nhan-dan-viet-nam-hanh-trinh-tu-gian-kho-den-quy-hien-hi-dost1055382.vnp