Vietnam: Are traffic police allowed to wear casual clothes when tracking speed?

Specifically, according to Clause 1 Article 11 of the Circular No. 65/2020/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, the requirements for traffic police clothes when patrolling, controlling and handling violations for vehicles participating in road traffic are as follows:

- When patrolling, controlling and handling violations, the traffic police shall wear police uniforms and wear the number of the People's Police according to the regulations of the Ministry of Public Security. When controlling in the evening, at night or during the day in foggy or bad weather conditions that limit visibility, a reflective vest must be worn;

- In case of control through technical and professional means and equipment, a section of the traffic police in casual clothes may be arranged to operate and use technical and professional means and equipment, and monitor the situation of traffic order and safety, detect violations of the law on road traffic and other violations of the law. When detecting a violation, it must immediately notify the public patrol and control department for control and handling in accordance with law;

- Head of the Road Traffic Control and Patrol Guidance Department under the Traffic Police Department, Head of the Traffic Police Department, Chief of police of districts, towns, provincial-affiliated cities, central-affiliated cities or higher shall decide whether to wear police uniforms or casual clothes when using professional technical means and equipment, and this must be clearly stated in the patrol and control plan.

Thus, according to the above provisions, traffic police are allowed to wear casual clothes to operate and use vehicles and professional technical equipment, to monitor traffic order and safety, and to detect violations of the law on road traffic and other violations of the law, in other words traffic police are allowed to wear casual clothes when tracking speed. However, the wearing of police uniforms or casual clothes must be decided by the Head of the Road Traffic Control and Patrol Guidance Department under the Traffic Police Department, Head of the Traffic Police Department, Chief of police of districts, towns, provincial-affiliated cities, central-affiliated cities or higher, and concurrently stated clearly in the patrol and control plan.

Besides, it should be noted that traffic police when wearing casual clothes shall only perform the task of operating and using vehicles and professional technical equipment, monitoring the situation of traffic order and safety, detecting violations of the law on road traffic and other violations of the law. When detecting a violation, traffic police must immediately notify the public patrol and control department to control and handle according to the provisions of law, not directly handle the violator.

Ty Na

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