80th Anniversary of Vietnam People's Public Security Forces (1945–2025)
Pride in the sharp sword and steel shield that protect the Party, State and People - Part I
The Vietnam People’s Public Security force has remained steadfast in protecting the Party, the State, and the People, embodying loyalty, courage, and resilience.
THE HANOI TIMES — Eighty years ago, on August 19, 1945, amid the fervor of the historic August Revolution, the Vietnamese People’s Public Security was born. Through more than three-quarters of a century of building, fighting and maturing, the force has remained deeply connected to the nation’s revolutionary cause and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the people in every struggle.
From its earliest days of hardship to the challenges of peace and modernization, the People’s Public Security has embodied loyalty, sacrifice and service. As the sharp sword and steel shield of the Party, the State and the People, the force continues to safeguard the nation while driving innovation in digital transformation, community service, and administrative reform.
A force born of the revolution
Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Politburo member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Head of the Hanoi National Assembly Delegation.
On August 19, 1945, the general uprising in Hanoi triumphed. Enemy repression organizations were dismantled and the revolutionary government was established.
That was also the moment when the first organizations of the Vietnamese People’s Public Security came into being, including the Security Bureau (the predecessor of Hanoi’s Public Security) in the North, the Investigation Bureau in the Central region, and the National Self-Defense Force in the South.
They shared a common mission that suppresses counter-revolutionary elements, maintain security and order, protect the Party, safeguard the revolutionary government, and defend the lives and property of the people.
From this historic milestone, August 19 has been celebrated every year as the Traditional Day of the Vietnamese People’s Public Security. Since 2005, it has also become the All People’s Day for National Security Protection, an occasion of deep significance.
Eight decades of loyalty and service
For 80 years, in every circumstance, from the struggle for independence, through the resistance wars against French colonialists and American imperialists, to the period of national renewal, development and defense, the People’s Public Security has demonstrated absolute loyalty and has been a trusted pillar of the Party, the State and the people.
The force has always been bound to the revolutionary cause of the nation, serving as the “sharp sword” and the “steel shield” that firmly protects the Party, the State and the People.
Politburo member, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Head of the Hanoi National Assembly Delegation Bui Thi Minh Hoai and other leaders of Hanoi congratulate the 29th Executive Committee of the Hanoi Public Security Party Organization for the 2025–2030 tenure. Photo: Lam Thanh
From silent victories on the fronts of security and intelligence, to arduous battles against hostile and reactionary forces, to safeguarding internal political security, economic security, and ideological and cultural security, as well as fighting crime and ensuring social order and safety, the People’s Public Security has played a vital role in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national development.
The force has brought peace and happiness to the people. In moments of hardship, whether natural disasters or pandemics, the People’s Public Security has always stood side by side with the people, serving as their reliable shield.
In the current era, the Vietnamese People’s Public Security has been demonstrating its pioneering role, model behavior and profound sense of responsibility. Not only courageous and dedicated in their duties, officers are silent fighters who contribute tirelessly, unafraid of hardship or danger, ready to step forward and sacrifice when called upon.
Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Tung, member of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Hanoi Public Security, presented the Decisions to comrades appointed as chiefs of commune- and ward-level police units under the new organizational model.
Today, the image of the People’s Public Security officer is also linked to tireless efforts in digital transformation and administrative reform. The force has taken the lead in restructuring and streamlining its apparatus, implementing a two-tier local government system that operates with efficiency and effectiveness.
A landmark achievement is the completion and operation of the National Population Database, proving the force’s determination to contribute into the modernization of public administration and create the most favorable conditions for citizens.
Beyond professional duties, the People’s Public Security actively engages with local communities, staying close to the people and serving them wholeheartedly. Campaigns to eradicate makeshift or dilapidated housing and to support the construction of boarding schools in remote, mountainous, and disadvantaged regions have spread widely, bringing better lives to people across the country.
These achievements and acts of responsibility and compassion stem from what officer call “orders from the heart.” They highlight the image of the People’s Public Security officer as regular, elite, modern, devoted, willing to risk their lives for the country and ready to serve the people.
Such qualities continue to enrich the glorious, heroic tradition of the People’s Public Security, a heroic force of a heroic nation.
Part II: Public Security leads by example in the new era
