Police officers on duty to protect COVID-19 testing stations in Đồng Tâm Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — General Tô Lâm, Minister of Public Security, has urged police forces to ensure national security and social order while focusing on the fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Speaking during an online conference on reviewing performance in the first quarter of 2020 held on Monday in Hà Nội, Lâm emphasised the fight against crime nationwide, especially those involving the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lâm asked police of units and localities to take more drastic measures managing foreigners entering Việt Nam and Vietnamese people returning from abroad to prevent the spread of the disease.

He requested police forces to strictly handle violations on speculating and smuggling medical equipment for epidemic prevention, spreading fake information on social media, opposing quarantine and medical declaration as required. 

The police forces were asked to take drastic measures to suppress crimes, focusing on organised crimes involving children, against law enforcement officials and drugs.

Watch our video on COVID-19 recovery cases

Reports from the ministry showed that the rate of successfully investigated criminal cases reached 86.03 per cent, higher than the same period last year. 

Lâm also required the police forces to ensure absolute safety for leaders of the Party, State and important political events taking place in Việt Nam after the pandemic.

He noted the accelerating implementation of the National Database Project on Population, adding that measures to ensure traffic order and safety and urban order needed to be carried out drastically.

Lâm said education on the Law on the Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Supporting Tools must be strengthened. 

At the conference, Lieutenant General Lê Quý Vương, deputy minister of Public Security launched a campaign encouraging people to hand over illegal weapons and explosives to the police.

The police forces would supervise and revoke weapons, explosives and supporting tools in society to minimise damage to people and property caused by weapons and explosives, especially post-war bombs, mines and unexploded ordnance and gangs illegally producing, trading, transporting and storing weapons and explosive materials, he said. — VNS