Vietnam: Is the Commune Police Chief a People’s Public Security officer officer? What is the current salary paid to the Commune Police Chief?

Main Content

• Is the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam a People’s Public Security officer officer?
• What is the highest rank for the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam?
• What is the current salary paid to the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam?

Is the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam a People’s Public Security officer officer?

Pursuant to the provisions in Point a, Clause 3, Article 61 of the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants 2008, amended by Clause 13, Article 1 of the Law on Amendments to Law on Cadres and Civil Servants and the Law on Public Employees 2019 as follows:

Positions and titles of commune-level officials

...

3. Commune-level officials have the following titles:

a) Chief of Police (applicable to communes and towns that have not yet organized a formal police force according to the provisions of the Law on People's Public Security Force No. 37/2018/QH14);

Accordingly, in localities that have not yet organized formal police, the Commune Police Chief is considered a commune-level official.

According to the provisions of Clause 3 Article 6 of Decree 42/2021/ND-CP, the organization of regular commune police in communes and townships must be completed by June 30, 2022.

Thus, until now, the organization of regular commune police in communes and towns has been completed.

Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 5, Decree 33/2023/ND-CP, there are changes to the titles of commune-level officials as follows:

Positions, titles

...

2. The commune-level officials prescribed in Clause 1 Article 2 hereof shall hold the following titles:

a) The commanding officer of Military Command;

b) Office administration/management - statistical officials;

c) Cadastral - construction - urban and environment officials (for wards and townships) or Cadastral - agriculture - construction and environment officials (for communes);

d) Finance - accounting officials;

dd) Judicial - Civil status officials;

e) Socio - Cultural officials.

Thus, under the new regulations, "Commune Police Chief" has be removed from the titles of commune-level officials in Vietnam.

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 24 of the Law on People's Public Security Force 2018 on the positions and titles of People’s Public Security officers in Vietnam as follows:

Positions and titles of People’s Public Security Officers

1. Basic positions of officers shall include:

...

dd) Leader of a People’s Public Security team; Police chief; Battalion Head;

...

Thus, the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam is no longer a commune-level official, but a People’s Public Security officer.

What is the highest rank for the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam?

Pursuant to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 25 of the Law on People's Public Security Force 2018 as follows:

Highest ranks in positions and titles of People’s Public Security officers

1. Highest ranks in positions and titles of People’s Public Security officers shall be subject to the following regulations:

a) General rank: Minister of Public Security;

b) Senior Lieutenant General rank: Deputy Minister of Public Security. The maximum number shall be 06;

c) As for the Lieutenant General rank, the maximum number shall be 35, including:

The Director, the Commander and the equivalent of the affiliate directly controlled by the Ministry of Public Security that has one of the following criteria: having the functions and tasks of giving strategic counsels, coordinating with the ministries, branches and localities; having a vertically-arrange organization structure of the People’s Public Security Force, operating on a nationwide scale, directly leading or cooperating in implementing national security protection tasks, maintaining social order and safety, and fighting, preventing and controlling crimes; having the function of professionally researching, guiding and managing the entire force;

The Standing Vice Chairman of the Inspection Commission of the Central Public Security Party Committee;

Director of the Political Academy of the People’s Public Security Force, Director of the People’s Public Security Academy, Director of the People's Police Academy;

Director of the Department of Public Security of Hanoi and Director of the Department of Public Security of Ho Chi Minh city;

People's Public Security officer on secondment approved to hold the post of Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee or appointed as a Deputy Minister or equivalent;

d) As for the Major General rank, the maximum number shall be 157, including:

Directors of units directly controlled by the Ministry of Public Security and equivalent positions and titles, except for the case specified at point c of clause 1 of this Article;

Directors of Departments of Public Security of provinces and centrally-affiliated cities located at localities classified as a first-class provincial administrative unit and areas which are important, complicated in terms of security, order, cover a wide or densely-populated area. The maximum number shall be 11;

Vice Chairman of the Inspection Commission of the Central Public Security Party Committee. The maximum number shall be 03;

Vice Directors of Departments or Deputy Commander and equivalent position holders of units directly controlled by the Ministry of Public Security as specified at point c of clause 1 of this Article. There shall be the maximum number of 04 position holders in 17 units and the maximum number of 03 position holders in the rest of units;

Vice Directors of Department of Public Security of Hanoi and Vice Directors of Department of Public Security of Ho Chi Minh city. The maximum number of position holders in each unit shall be 03;

People's Public Security officer on secondment approved to hold the post of Standing Member of the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee or appointed as a Deputy Director of General Department or equivalent;

dd) Colonel rank: Director of the Public Security Department of a province or centrally-affiliated city, except for the cases specified at points c and d of this clause; Director of the hospital directly affiliated to the Ministry; Principals of People’s Public Security post-secondary schools;

e) Senior Lieutenant Colonel rank: Head of a People’s Public Security Division or equivalent; Head of a People’s Public Security Division of a rural district, urban district, town or provincial city; Regiment Head;

g) Lieutenant Colonel rank: Leader of a People’s Public Security team or equivalent; Head of a People's Public Security Office of commune, ward, town; Battalion Head;

h) Major rank: Company Head;

i) Captain: Platoon Head;

k) Senior Lieutenant: Squad Head.

Thus, the highest rank for the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam is Lieutenant Colonel.

What is the current salary paid to the Commune Police Chief in Vietnam?

Under Section 1, Table 6 promulgated together with Decree 204/2004/ND-CP on salary classification of People's Public Security officers as follows:

The statutory pay rate is 1,800,000 VND/month according to Decree 24/2023/ND-CP.

The salary paid to the Commune Chief Police in Vietnam is calculated as follows:

Actual salary = 1.8 million VND x Current salary coefficient

Currently, since the commune police chief is a People's Public Security officer with the highest rank being Lieutenant Colonel, the salary paid to the Commune Chief Police in Vietnam determined according to the coefficient of 6.60 will be 11,880,000 VND.

The above salary does not include allowances (if any).

In addition, the pay rise coefficient for lieutenant colonels of the People's Public Security Force is as follows:

- 1st pay rise coefficient:7.0

- 2nd pay rise coefficient: 7.4