General To Lam, Minister of Public Security, spoke to receive opinions of National Assembly deputies.

Increase retirement age to take advantage of experienced professionals

Delegate Do Huy Khanh (Dong Nai Delegation) said that the amendment and supplement to the service age limit for police officers and non-commissioned officers will have a positive impact on the professional work of the police force, taking advantage of specialized resources with a lot of experience in preventing and fighting all types of crimes, while increasing the service age limit for police officers and soldiers will help balance and reduce the burden on the Social Insurance Fund.

According to delegate Do Huy Khanh, the current maximum service age of police officers, in addition to the general provisions of the Law on People's Public Security, in some special cases, is also implemented according to the regulations of the Party and State, such as the retirement age of police officers who are members of the Politburo, members of the Party Central Committee, and National Assembly deputies. However, the 2018 Law on People's Public Security does not have specific regulations on extending the age limit for these cases, so it does not ensure consistency with the current regulations of the Party and State. Therefore, the addition of regulations on extending the service age in special cases considered and decided by competent authorities is necessary and suitable to reality.

Delegate Do Huy Khanh: The addition of regulations on extending the service age in special cases, considered and decided by competent authorities, is necessary and suitable to reality.

Sharing the same view, delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga (Hai Duong Delegation) said that the 2019 Labor Code was issued to raise the retirement age to 62 years old for men and 60 years old for women to both narrow the gap in retirement age between the two sexes, to prevent future labor shortages due to population aging, and to ensure resources in some social security funds. With that general spirit of the original code, the regulation to raise the retirement age of the People's Public Security force is appropriate.

Raising the retirement age needs to take into account the specific nature of the job and must have a specific roadmap.

However, delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga said that raising the retirement age needs to take into account the different job characteristics of the police forces and must have a specific roadmap.

According to the proposal of delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga, for forces in combat, mobile, and investigation units, the retirement age should be lower than that of units in the fields of administrative management, logistics, office, and positions that do not require high physical strength and combat ability - this is also consistent with the regulation on classifying labor groups according to job characteristics to apply a lower retirement age of the labor law.

Delegate Nguyen Thi Viet Nga: Raising the retirement age needs to take into account the different job characteristics of the police forces and must have a specific roadmap.

Sharing the same view, delegate Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap delegation) said that it is necessary to carefully consider and evaluate the adjustment to increase the retirement age of female officers with the rank of Colonel by 5 years, and female officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by 3 years. The regulation of the highest service age for women must be consistent with the specific factors of the profession, position, working environment, etc.; thereby, ensuring the health of commanding officers in different working environments.

“The working environment of the police force is very difficult, they may have to work day and night continuously, in places with complicated political security and social order and safety. Therefore, we cannot equate the retirement age with administrative agencies according to the Labor Code," said delegate Pham Van Hoa and suggested that the retirement age for female officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel is 57 years old and female Colonel is 58 years old, while female Major Generals should remain at 60 years old (implemented without a roadmap). "This is suitable for the health conditions of female officers," emphasized delegate Pham Van Hoa.

On behalf of the agency in charge of drafting the bill, speaking to receive the opinions of the National Assembly deputies, Minister of Public Security To Lam said that the delegates' valuable comments were not only guidance and attention but also timely encouragement, praise and care from the National Assembly and the National Assembly deputies for the People's Public Security force. Based on the opinions of the National Assembly deputies, the agency in charge of drafting coordinated with the National Assembly agencies to synthesize, receive and explain to report to the competent authority, to complete the draft law dossier to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at this session.

MINH DAT