People who stay up all night on New Year's Eve to help people enjoy Tet

"On duty" at 113

Present at Police Team 113 on the evening of the 30th of Tet, in the bustling spring atmosphere throughout the streets, all officers and soldiers are always ready to go on duty.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thanh Le, Deputy Head of the Administrative Management Police Department for Social Order: Holidays and Tet are the busiest times for the police force, including the 113 Police force, because this is the time when crimes and social evils increase in activity, many conflicts easily lead to fights.

Directly receiving reports from people at Police Team 113. Photo: Le Thang

As a standing force to ensure social order in the province, focusing on Vinh city and surrounding areas, due to the small force, we have to work at full capacity, arrange and divide shifts scientifically to meet the needs of the people anytime, anywhere...

Accordingly, from 8pm onwards, the conversation between us and the brothers in the team was constantly interrupted by the ringing of the phone. According to Lieutenant Colonel Le, officers and soldiers receiving reports from people via phone not only have to grasp information, but also have to assess how serious the incident is, and estimate how many officers and soldiers need to be sent to the scene. It sounds simple, but if you are not used to it, it will be very confusing.

Before setting off, 113 police officers are fully equipped with support tools. Photo: LT

"Hello, on Phan Chu Trinh street, there is a drunk person causing public disorder, disturbing the security of the neighborhood" - a nearby resident informed. After screening the information, the 113 Police force quickly set off and we also joined in. As soon as they arrived at the scene, the 113 soldiers did not hesitate, rushing to control the subject, while the subject struggled, cursed, and did not cooperate... After handing over to the ward police, the 113 Police soldiers returned to their unit.

Before they could even get comfortable, the soldiers on duty jumped up and rushed away when the switchboard continued to receive news that at the intersection of Kim Dong and Le Hong Phong streets, a subject called a group of friends to cause trouble after a traffic accident, causing chaos in the neighborhood; at the gate of the Central Park, there was a conflict between two groups of young men...

Police Force 113 before going on patrol. Photo: LT

Major Dang Minh Chi, deputy head of Team 113, said: Due to the nature of their work, Police 113 must always maintain a 24/7 duty schedule. On average, each day, the 113 duty team receives and handles dozens of reports.

From public disorder to gang fights, even marital quarrels... The command center will evaluate whether the information is true or false, its nature and extent, to assign forces to the scene as quickly as possible.

"Fastest, strongest, most effective" is the motto of the 113 Police soldiers. Photo: LT

In the minds of the 113 Police officers, any news is an urgent call from the people. Therefore, in addition to responsibility, there is also an invisible force pulling us with the desire to get to the place where the news is reported as quickly as possible, to resolve it safely and effectively, to bring peace to the people.

And that is why Captain Phan Duc Thang confirmed, "As a 113 Police officer, having to stop eating to go on the road when receiving reports of fighting, disturbing the public order... is a normal thing and the brothers almost have no concept of celebrating Tet."

The mobile "stretched out" 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.

On New Year's Eve, an additional patrol team was arranged by car, and 38 comrades were also sent to Nghi Phu and Nghi Duc communes - communes where firecrackers are often set off.

Mobile police on patrol and control. Photo: LT

After the New Year's Eve, the fireworks display ends, and the new year begins, everyone will leave the city center to go pick the first spring buds, which is also the time for the second shift to set off. All are fully equipped with support tools, including: bulletproof vests, rubber bullet guns, walkie-talkies... Each group has a group leader, a deputy group leader and 4 group members who are in constant contact with each other.

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. Senior Lieutenant Vo Minh Tu, the patrol team leader, told me that when carrying out his duties, soldiers like him had to be men of the job.

Helping people cross the street. Photo: LT

It is true that there are still young people who go out at night without helmets, carry three people, and then run red lights... Tu had to stop his motorbike several times to call out to violators to remind them. There was a young man who, when he saw the shadow of a mobile police officer, quickly took off his helmet hanging on his motorbike and put it on his head. "But it's not just a traffic violation, we also have to be more alert to detect risks to social order and safety," Tu said.

Sure enough, as soon as Tu finished speaking, the soldiers of this group suddenly stopped. Before I could understand what was happening, I saw Lieutenant Tu jump out of the car and stop a motorbike with license plate 37B1-976xx carrying two young men, one of whom was not wearing a helmet. Upon checking, a knife was found under the trunk of the motorbike. These young men still had cold faces and showed an uncooperative attitude.

After analyzing the violation, the traffic police officers asked both of them and their patrol team to bring the vehicle back to the headquarters at 43 Ho Tung Mau Street for resolution. After handing it over to the handling department at home, they quickly set off again.

Checking and reminding a young man to wear a helmet on New Year's Eve. Photo: LT

Just like that, when the crowd had thinned out, the men still regularly patrolled every street and alley. Now I understood why the office was less than 5 km from home but he rarely got to go home to sleep at night.

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.

There are few pedestrians, but the mobile police officers still regularly patrol each street. Photo: LT

After 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 the personal joy, there was also the shared joy of being able to welcome a peaceful New Year.

Suddenly, for them, staying up all night on New Year's Eve is no longer a surprising thing but has become a regular thing, because for them, "staying awake so people can sleep, staying up so people can enjoy Spring and welcome Tet" is their greatest and most sacred duty.