HCM City formed a new southern special crime police team on January 25 to fight rampant robbery in the city.
The city's Party Secretary Dinh La Thang, HCM City Vice Chairman Huynh Cach Mang and the Deputy Director of the General Department of Police Le Trung Son attended the introduction ceremony.
Director of Lieutenant General Le Dong Phong, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Police said due to the high level of street crime, they had established two special crime teams in 2008 under the city's crime police department and under the district's police departments.
A training course
Even though the teams have had many achievements, there are shortcomings such as overlapping responsibilities and territories, equipment and lack of personnel.
The city has merged the teams into one to oversee District 7, 8, Binh Tan, Binh Chanh and Nha Be districts following Dinh La Thang's request.
Thang said the promise to make HCM City safer must be realised because of the expectations from local people and tourists alike. He hoped the new team would continue following the steps of previous crime units.
"Let's turn today into a day of hope, of trust for the people and the start of the darkest days for the criminals," he said.
Thang asked the city police department to quickly prepare equipment so that the team could immediately go to work. He expressed high regards to the police department's determination to create the team.
