General Cuong: The Ministry of Public Security has had a revolution in its organizational structure.

On the afternoon of August 7, the Ministry of Public Security held a conference to implement the Government's Decree regulating the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Public Security. Nghe An Newspaper interviewed Associate Professor, Dr. - Major General Le Van Cuong, former Director of the Institute of Science Strategy of the Ministry of Public Security, on a number of related issues.

The Ministry of Public Security said that it will not organize intermediate levels; and will rearrange and reduce public service units, education, press, and health in the People's Public Security. Source: Internet

PV:Dear Major General, as someone who has worked in the police force for many years, can you tell us why the Ministry of Public Security has undergone such a major change in its apparatus?

Major General Le Van Cuong:It is true that in recent times, the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security and the Central Public Security Party Committee have prepared a new model to change the operation of the apparatus and improve efficiency. In my opinion, the root cause of this change comes from two reasons.

This change in the model of the Ministry of Public Security comes from the effective implementation of Resolution 6 of the Central Committee (12th tenure) on continuing to innovate and reorganize the apparatus of the political system to be streamlined and operate effectively and efficiently.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc reviewed the People's Public Security Guard of Honor.

In addition, in practice, previous organizational adjustments by the Ministry of Public Security have made the apparatus bloated, with too many intermediate levels, from 4 general departments to 8 general department-level units, and more than 50 department-level departments to 120 departments-level departments, making the apparatus heavy, cumbersome, and ineffective.

In addition to the great achievements of the police force in ensuring security, social order and safety, bringing a peaceful life to the people, the People's Police force has never had so many "blemishes" that have significantly affected the people's trust.

For example, the case of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa - former Director of the Department of High-Tech Crime Prevention and Control and Mr. Phan Van Vinh - former Director General of the General Department of Police, took advantage of their positions and powers while performing official duties to assist in participating in international gambling...

It can be said that in just half a year, nearly a dozen police generals were disciplined. I think this is also an inevitable consequence of the cumbersome apparatus with many intermediate levels that has existed for quite a long time.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and leaders of the Ministry of Public Security. Photo: Internet

PV:The Ministry of Public Security has changed and adjusted its organizational structure many times. What is your assessment of this change?

Major General Le Van Cuong:From 1945 to present, the Ministry of Public Security has changed its organizational structure 5 times. However, through 5 changes, the basic framework remains the same, only adjusting or adding or subtracting. In this change, the Ministry of Public Security has built a completely new framework such as: the organizational structure of the Ministry of Public Security includes Department-level units, compared to the old organizational structure, there are 6 fewer General Departments, nearly 60 fewer Department-level units and nearly 300 fewer Division-level units.

Local police merged 20 Fire Police units into provincial and municipal police and streamlined the provincial and district police organization, reducing more than 500 department-level units and nearly 1,000 team-level units. This is truly a comprehensive and thorough reform revolution in implementing the organization according to the new regulations of the Ministry of Public Security.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc congratulated the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security.

PV:Dear Major General, why were the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security and the Central Public Security Party Committee able to do this while changing the organizational structure is considered very difficult?

Major General Le Van Cuong:Resolution 6 of the Central Committee (12th tenure) of the Party, the Politburo and the Prime Minister requires 25 ministries under the Government to streamline their apparatus, eliminate intermediaries to be more effective and efficient. I think that up to now, the Ministry of Public Security has taken the lead among all ministries and units under the Government. Because currently, the ministries have only reduced the number of departments or merged several departments and bureaus together, not thoroughly, comprehensively and revolutionaryly like the Ministry of Public Security.

In order for the Ministry of Public Security to be able to do this and carry out this comprehensive revolution, the collective leadership of the Public Security and the Central Public Security Party Committee must be people with high political determination, opinions and Party spirit to effectively implement Resolution 6 of the Central Committee (term XII) by all means.

In addition, the leaders of the Public Security and the Central Public Security Party Committee must have a bright heart and clean hands. Because “touching” the organization means “touching” people and interests when hundreds of high-ranking officials and generals have no place to work. Therefore, decision-makers like Mr. To Lam and the Central Public Security Party Committee, if they do not have a bright heart and clean hands, cannot do anything.

PV:Public opinion is very interested in the implementation of the new model and believes that the leaders of the Ministry of Public Security and local police are facing many difficulties. In your opinion, what does the Ministry of Public Security need to do to effectively implement the model?

Major General Le Van Cuong:The first difficulty of this reform revolution is that it directly affects the interests of hundreds of generals and senior officers of the Ministry and 63 provinces and cities. This is the biggest obstacle that the Ministry of Public Security and the Central Public Security Party Committee must overcome.

Accordingly, this is a new organizational model, a comprehensive and thorough reform revolution, requiring a new mechanism but it is not easy to form a mechanism, so there will be many limitations and difficulties in the process of operation and implementation....

Mobile police force practices to ensure absolute safety for APEC 2017 Summit Week. Photo: zing

PV:According to you, what should the Ministry of Public Security do to make this new apparatus more streamlined, with fewer intermediate levels, more effective and with a better grasp of the situation?

Major General Le Van Cuong:I think that comrade To Lam - Politburo member, Secretary of the Central Public Security Party Committee, Minister of Public Security and the collective leadership of the Central Public Security Party Committee need to develop working regulations, clearly define and assign responsibilities and powers of Deputy Ministers, Ministers and Department Directors to manage the work.

At the same time, build relationships between the Ministry and localities, relationships between the Ministry's leaders and departments above the Ministry and 63 provinces and cities... to build a centralized, unified, specialized, streamlined, effective and efficient organization of the Ministry of Public Security, strengthening the grassroots in the direction of "a refined Ministry, a strong province, a comprehensive district, and a grassroots commune".

Regularly organize training courses to innovate working style, stay close to the grassroots, and grasp the situation for leading officers from the level of Director, Deputy Director to District Police Chief...

PV:Thank you very much, Major General!