Policies and benefits of environmental police forces in Vietnam

Policies and benefits of environmental police forces in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Who are Environmental Police?

According to Article 3 of the Ordinance on Environmental police forces 2014, the Environmental police is a branch of the police specialized in preventing, detecting, fighting against criminal and administrative offenses related to environment; proactively and cooperatively preventing, fighting against crimes and violations of law related to natural resources and food safety related to environment.

2. Duties and entitlements of environmental police forces in Vietnam

Duties and entitlements of environmental police forces according to Article 7 of the Ordinance on Environmental police forces 2014 are as follows:

- Collecting information, analyzing, evaluating and forecasting the situations to counsel, make proposals to the competent authorities for their instructions on prevention, fighting against crimes and violations of law;

- Taking public security measures to prevent, fight against crimes and violations of law;

- Receiving, handling and settling accusation, notification on crimes and violations of law in accordance with the related laws;

- Carrying out investigations on the crimes related to environment and natural resources, food safety related to environment in accordance with the related laws;

- Inspecting adherence to law of agencies, organizations, individuals; inspecting related means, articles, locations when alleged crimes, administrative offenses are detected or when accusations, reporting on crimes and/or administrative offenses are made in accordance with the related laws.

Inspections must be decided in writing by the leaders of the Environmental Police Departments affiliated to the Ministry of Public Security, the police authorities of provinces; by Directors of police authorities of provinces, Police Chiefs of districts and similar administrative units;

- Taking actions against administrative offenses in accordance with the related laws;

- In required and/or emergency cases, entitled to mobilize people, facilities of related agencies, organizations and/or individuals in accordance with the related laws;

- Using weapons, explosives, and combat gear in accordance with the related laws; using specialized equipment in conformity with the related laws;

- Collecting specimens, materials, evidence related to crimes, administrative offenses for inspection or cooperating with the agencies, organizations competent to carry out inspection and/or examination;

- Requesting related agencies, organizations, individuals to provide information, documents, items related to crimes, administrative offenses pertaining to environment and natural resources, food safety in environmental field in accordance with the related laws;

- Cooperating with related agencies, organizations, companies for preventing and fighting against crimes and violations of law pertaining to environment, natural resources, food safety in accordance with governmental regulations;

- Promoting international cooperation in accordance with the regulations issued by the Minister of Public Security;

- Performing other duties and entitlements in accordance with the related laws.

3. Operation and benefits of environmental police forces in Vietnam

The operation and benefits of environmental police forces according to Chapter III of the Ordinance on Environmental police forces 2014 are stipulate as follows:

* Equipment of environmental police forces

Environmental police forces are equipped with weapons, explosives, combat gear, as specialized equipment as prescribed by the Minister of Public Security.

* Benefits of environmental police officers

Environmental police officers shall have the benefits prescribed in the Law on the People’s Public Security forces; enjoy the policies related to hazard prevention, receive hazard pay, and be provided with protective equipment in accordance with the related laws.

* Benefits for other organizations and individuals

- Any organization or individual that cooperates with environmental police forces in fulfilling their duties and obtains achievements will be rewarded; have their honor redeemed, if required; have damaged properties compensated, if any; In case a person is injured or dead, such person and his/her family will receive corresponding benefits as prescribed by law.

- Every organization and individual that cooperates with environmental police forces shall be physically and confidentiality protected in accordance with the related laws.

* Operation fund of the environmental police forces

Operation fund of the environmental police forces shall be provided by the state budget.

Quoc Dat

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE