The police force is expanding to cope with the rising crime rate. Last year, more than 7,680 incidents were reported to the police countrywide, representing a 15.9 percent increase compared to the year before, according to a national police meeting on Tuesday.
The figure does not include road accidents and damage caused by fires, which occurred extensively in urban areas of Vientiane , Savannakhet and Champassak provinces.
In Vientiane alone, more than 3,300 incidents required police assistance, and caused injury, death and loss of property. The incidents included burglaries, bag snatching, drug abuse, domestic problems and fraud.
“The majority of cases have been solved. We aim to reduce all problems, in particular burglaries and bag snatching,” said the Director General of the Political General Department, Police Colonel Sermsouk Simphavong.
According to a report at the meeting, police have linked more than 8,490 suspects to the incidents. Robberies were the most common concern with 2,420 cases recorded, of which the majority have been solved.
The second most common problem for police are swindlers operating for personal gain, with around 350 cases, followed by 250 incidents of bag snatching and some 83 other reported offences.
In 2005-2006 police conducted a population census throughout the nation and are continuing to make a register of people's family records.
Police Colonel Sermsouk, who is Deputy Party Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, said expansion of village group police was one of the priorities of his ministry in addressing social problems.
“To increase security we are building a supplementary police force to manage village groups. Today we have built a village group force of more than 400. By 2008, we will have set up groups throughout the country. We will also improve some aspects of the working system of village police in responding to local situations,” he said.
The aim of creating these groups in every district is to address problems at the outset and make it easy to educate people about the need to follow regulations.
“Local people congratulate us on the achievement of the work of village police,” Police Colonel Sermsouk said.
At the meeting police officers agreed to work harder to reduce the number of road accidents in urban areas, by focusing on stopping teenagers who race their motorbikes on main roads, and by continuing to inspect vehicles.
Last year, more than 4,600 road accidents occurred in the country, almost 1,000 more than in the previous year. Last year's road accidents claimed 480 lives and injured a further 8,250 people.
Police also agreed to make an effort to reduce the number of house fires by encouraging villagers to take part in their project. They will visit villages to educate people on how to use electrical equipment properly and will help officials to extinguish fires.
Last year, more than 110 fire outbreaks occurred, destroying 168 houses, 27 rice houses, and leaving some people houseless. The cost of the damage was valued at more than 4 trillion kip.
Police also agreed to improve the education level of police officers on political ideology, working to serve the interests of local people and becoming effective officers for the benefit of the nation. To achieve this goal, police who perform well will be given recognition so that others can follow their outstanding behaviour.
Byo vientiane times (Latest Update January 11, 2007)
When we talk about crimes, there are all sort of, everywhere even country like Australia rank 3 in the World, but most of the things happened about crimes you may not see them. One of those reasons is Gangs, young teens gang up, the spots where Friday and Saturday night troubles broke out are nightclubs, in the City or CBD areas. Drugs and alcohol played a part in these sort of behaviours. In the streets they like mad dogs, drive dangerously, racing...because of the affect of drugs ( estacy=JAR BAR in Laos, now more dangerous drug called CRYSTAL or ICE also available for people who like Nightclubs).
Many young teens dream about going out, have fun, freedom to do things but it could end up in a disastrous way, their life will finish in a way if they used these drugs. The evidences showed about CRYSTAL is that addicts to this drug become unstable, they acted violently, sometime even beat up their sisters or their mother, out of control in a sense. So Nightclubs dancing clubs or karaoke clubs have the downside, the harm sides that's why 100% freedom not good for anybody. Sometime these gangs just go around and smah people's cars, just like that. But Police in Australia also very tough, even female polices they are well equipped with fighting skills and very courageous. You won't see a woman police did nothing if she saw a criminal, but she will chase that criminal with her colleagues, until they catch him. Lao's police should be transparent, and tough with criminals and gangs. So crimes are on the rise in Laos is because of the trend of have fun, in this sort of life style. Perhaps Lao's government should introduce more CAFES with CLASSICAL MUSIC, play a lot of TCHAIKOVSKY, I love Tchaikovsky because part of our history being slave in the past. They say when you understand about classical music you will see the beautiful side of this kind of music, it makes your brain working well in thinking and relaxing your mind, so young lao's at level of University students should gather or get together with friends in a healthy way, have some good topics for discussing and chatting, drinking fruits juice, coffee, tea, instead of alcohol. Rock and roll or Pop music are fine, but they let rock and roll ruins your life.
Many towns in Australia where there are frequent violents and criminal activities out of control, australian authority even wanted to introduce CURFEW, young teens are not allow to go out in the streets after 10 pm, so when things are not easy to deal with then strick law must be introduced. Young teens who are in some sort of drugs, become very violent, they do not talk but shout very late at night, rude words being used all the time. People say when a person shouts instead of talking it means something is wrong inside, not happy or in the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are likely to cause troubles, fighting or vandalism, smashing this, kicking that....etc like mad people.
