New Year's Eve, meeting the people who 'stay awake so people can sleep, stay awake so people can have fun' in Nghe An

Always on "battle" position

Lieutenant ColonelNguyen Thanh Le - Deputy Head of the Police Department for Administrative Management of Social Order said: Holidays and Tet are the busiest times for the police force, including the 113 Police force.

Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Sy Chien - Captain of Team 113, gives a briefing before leaving for duty. Photo: Hai Vuong

Accordingly, with the role of a permanent combat force to ensure social order in the province, in which the focus is still Vinh City and surrounding areas, but because the force is still small, the brothers must work at full capacity, must arrange and divide shifts scientifically, to meet the needs of the people at all times, in all places...

113 police on duty to process information provided by citizens. Photo: HV

Just as he finished speaking, the operator received a call about a disturbance on Nguyen Van Cu Street. After screening the information, the 113 Police officers were ordered to go and we quickly joined in. The car carrying the 113 Police officers quickly approached the scene. Only about 10 minutes later, the security situation was stabilized, the 113 Police officers returned to their units.

Officers of Police Team 113 set off on duty. Photo: HV

Before they could even get comfortable, the soldiers on duty jumped up and rushed away when the switchboard continued to receive news that on Ho Tung Mau street there was a conflict between two groups of young men...

In the minds of the 113 Police officers, any news is an urgent call from the people. Photo: HV

In fact, in the minds of the 113 Police officers, any report is an urgent call from the people. According to Lieutenant Che Dinh Dat: "There are more cases of having to stop eating to go on the road when receiving reports of fighting, disturbances of public order... than daily meals". Along with that, the requirement is not only to quickly and completely resolve the incident, but also to ensure absolute safety for the people and the working group, with the motto "fastest, strongest, most effective".

Despite facing danger, the 113 Police force is always ready to go on duty. Photo: HV

“Due to the nature of their work, the 113 Police always have to maintain a 24/7 duty regime. On average, each day, the 113 on duty receives and handles dozens of reports. Despite facing danger, the 113 Police force is always ready to go on duty, so most of the brothers have no concept of celebrating Tet and reuniting with their families,” added Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Sy Chien, Captain of the 113 Police Team.

"Stretched" all night long

Along with the 113 Police, the Mobile Police force also "stretched out" all night long. According to Lieutenant Colonel Ho Nam Long - Head of the Mobile Police Department: In addition to ensuring regular patrols, there are 2 shifts (each shift consists of 12 people divided into 2 groups), the first shift patrols from 8pm - 0am, the second shift from 0am - 4am.

Mobile police before departure. Photo: Hai Vuong

On New Year's Eve, the department was assigned an additional patrol team by car, and 20 comrades were also sent to Nghi Phu and Nghi Duc communes, areas where firecrackers are often set off every year.

On New Year's Eve, 20 officers from the Mobile Police Department were sent to Nghi Phu and Nghi Duc communes, areas where firecrackers often occur every year. Photo: HV

Sitting in the back of the police car, I seemed to look at the street with a different eye. It was no longer the leisurely way of watching people and the street. Captain Nguyen Van Quan - Deputy Company Commander told me that when carrying out a mission, soldiers like him must be a man of work.

In the hustle and bustle of the streets on New Year's Eve, there are always images of CSCĐ soldiers. Photo: HV

It is true that there are still young people who go out at night without helmets, carry three people, and then run red lights... Quan had to stop his motorbike several times to call out to the violators. There was a young man who, when he saw the shadow of the Mobile Police, hurriedly took off his helmet hanging on his motorbike to put it on his head...

And so, when the crowd had thinned out, the men continued to patrol every street and alley. Now I understood why his office was less than 5 km from home but he rarely got to go home to sleep.

They regularly patrol every street and alley. Photo: HV

Thinking about this, I understand and sympathize with the hardships of these men, when their work is forced into the night, especially on New Year's Eve, when they should be resting and gathering with their families. But on the contrary, they only have their big motorbikes and patrol routes to keep them company at night.

Staying up all night on New Year's Eve is no longer a surprise but has become a regular thing for officers and soldiers of Police Team 113 of the Administrative Management Police Department for Social Order, Mobile Police (Nghe An Police). Photo: HV

Ending a night of 'Spring outing' with the functional forces on duty to ensure security and order on New Year's Eve, although tired, I was filled with a feeling of excitement and joy. In addition to personal joy, there was also the common joy of welcoming a peaceful Tet. For them, "staying awake so that people can sleep and guarding so that people can enjoy Spring and celebrate Tet" is their greatest and most sacred duty.