Contributions and Responsibilities of Police Forces in Natural Disasters

Abstract

In Vietnam, the presence of the police as primary responders is articulated in the Constitution and included in national legislation on disaster management as well as public security law. This chapter used desk-based research for data collection, including legal documents of government and Ministry of Public Security, to review and assess current policies and practices. Some selected case studies, based on available resources in disaster management of Vietnam between 1997-2017, are also utilized to illustrate for implementing eight main tasks of police in mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Findings pointed out that by implementing professional skills and effective measures, police in Vietnam played as core leading to support and assist the government and local citizens in natural disaster events. Some distinguishing features of police in a communist country to implement the ‘four on-the-spot' motto of police in natural disasters call for further studies in the future.