Hanoi police banned from chasing down traffic violators
Hanoi's Traffic Police Department has ordered its officers to stop running after suspected traffic violators on the street.
The department has not provided an official reason for the ban, which will not be applied in situations where the suspect may pose threats to traffic safety and must be stopped.
The ban was unveiled as part of the department’s new action plan for the upcoming New Year and Lunar New Year holidays. The latter falls on January 28.
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| A policeman tried to stop a violator in a file photo. |
Hanoi's no-pursuit policy came after several incidents of policemen holding onto speeding vehicles and risking their lives to stop runaway violators.
Last month, Uber driver Ha Duc Anh, 28, was fined VND4.2 million (US$182) for refusing to pull over in Hoan Kiem District.
The driver reportedly drove straight into an officer, forcing the latter to jump on the car’s hood. Anh had his license suspended for two months.
In a similar case in February last year, a policeman ordered taxi driver Nguyen Thanh Luan to stop after he was caught driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street.
Luan tried to escape, and the officer also jumped onto the hood in a bid to stop him. The cab kept speeding for around 200 meters, until locals and travelers gathered to block the street.
